


Glass Shards

by Vee017



Series: Shattered Glass [2]
Category: Andromeda
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Family, Romance, Sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-10-26
Updated: 2011-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-24 21:47:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 35,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/268235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vee017/pseuds/Vee017
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Andromeda has been found, family resurfaces, and tensions run high.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Fallen

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N: For new readers: Please read "Through the Looking Glass" before starting this fic. This is an Alternate Universe and a sequel, so you'll probably be completely lost and confused otherwise.**

_"Million to one chances happen nine times out of ten"  
-Terry Pratchett, Ancient Earth_

Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant sat mentally exhausted in his office. The ship's halls were silent, there were no crew members scurrying about their duties, no one saluting him or calling him sir. There was nothing. He was alone. All four thousand members of his old crew had been dead for over three hundred years.

They were gone.

His friends, family, his parents. Sara.

He had nothing.

The universe around him had fallen apart during his time in the black hole. It had decayed into a heartless and cold echo of the glory it once was. There was no central government. The planets moved about their business alone, and their people were left to carve out a life any way they could.

There was no order. Only chaos. The Long Night.

The only things he had left of his past were his memories and his ship. The Andromeda's AI was the only "living" reminder of all he had had. She was all that was left of a more civilized and peaceful time. The height of the Commonwealth.

How could so much have fallen?

Dylan buried his face in his hands.

"Dylan?"

Looking up at the holo-image of the ship's avatar, he motioned for her to continue.

"History databanks on the Eureka Maru state that the Commonwealth and the Nietzscheans fought each other into a standstill. Both sides suffered heavy casualties and by the time that they were finished neither was in any shape to take over what was left. The civil war created a power vacuum, which they could not stop or fill. The Magog were then free to scatter throughout the known worlds and terrorize their way across the tri-galaxies without anyone to stop them. The Nietzschean Alliance crumbled and they separated into squabbling prides. Tarn Vedra cut itself off from slipstream and hasn't been heard from since. The Commonwealth and the Nietzscheans fell from inside as well as out."

"Andromeda, please tell me this is all just a bad dream."

"I'm sorry Captain. I wish I could."

Dylan sighed.

"Did you really mean what you said to the Maru crew?" asked Andromeda. "About restoring the Commonwealth?"

"I'm the last survivor of an old age. A better age. We had peace Andromeda, more than these people do now so isn't our duty to try? This is something I have to do. I have to try and rebuild what was lost."

"With these...people?"she asked a bit disdainfully. "Are you sure we can trust them?"

"Right now they're all we've got."

"Two humans, a child, whatever species Trance is, a Magog, and two Nietzscheans?"

"I'm not comfortable with it either but...most of them I think we can trust."

"And the Nietzscheans?" she asked. "Tyr is one thing but..."

"Rhade."

Dylan closed his eyes.

Rhade. Or at least a man that looked exactly like him. He had been in complete shock as he had stared at the scruffier version of his former First Officer as Gaheris's body had still lain cooling not twenty feet from him. Looking between the two had been surreal.

To have the face of the man who had just tried to murder him alive and walking around his ship was not something he had expected. His gut had twisted as he had looked between them. The fresh wounds that Gaheris's betrayal had caused him deepened even further and the guilt and confusion in having killed his best friend echoed through his mind.

To lose one Rhade only to gain another.

What were the odds that he would be pulled out of the event horizon by a descendant of Gaheris Rhade. What were the odds that that descendant would be a genetic reincarnation of the man. They were in the trillions. There had never been a documented case of Nietzschean genetic reincarnation in the history of the Nietschean peoples. They had their legends about Drago Museveni, but that's all they were. Legends. Right?

But situated now with the proof that it was indeed possible, felt like being marched over by a complete Lancer Regiment.

And the legacy of Gaheris Rhade still wouldn't let him get away with anything simple. Rhade had betrayed him, and this new Rhade somehow managed to end up in Drago-Kazov Pride. Dylan's mind reeled and his thought processes became completely blocked. He couldn't think.

Telemachus Rhade.

No. What had he called himself? Ah yes.

 _Nez Pierce._

Gaheris would turn in his grave right about now. He might even consider Dylan's killing of him a favour so as to not have to witness this.

Dylan couldn't even begin to fathom what had happened to Rhade's family to associate them with the Drago-Kazov. The Majorum were fiercely independent, many of their factions sided with the Commonwealth, loyalists to the end. The Treaty of Antares, had changed the minds of others.

He sighed again. The Commonwealth had only wanted peace among its worlds. And signing a treaty with the Magog had been a peaceful resolution, no more bloodshed like the massacre of Brandenburg Tor. But the Nietzscheans wanted blood. They wanted to eradicate the Magog and drive them out of Commonwealth space. Vengeance for their fallen brothers.

And it had cost them everything.

* * *

A reverent hand trailed slowly down the cool glass. For the lone occupant of the room it was like staring into some morbid mirror of sorts.

Telemachus let out a hitched breath as he stared down at the body of a man he never thought he'd meet.

Gaheris Rhade. The man whose genes were identical to his own.

Though truth be told, the Nietzschean he now looked down upon wasn't anything like he thought he'd be.

Clean shaven, military crew cut, a Commonwealth Officer. A highly decorated officer if the pins on his chest were any indication.

He had betrayed this ship. Typical Nietzschean in that capacity, it was no wonder that the AI gave him wary and cold looks.

His ancestor.

And for some reason, just staring at him gave Telemachus an uneasy feel about something. Something in his mind felt like it wanted to click but couldn't. There was something missing and he didn't like it. His jaw clenched. He hated it when this happened. It was always there but just out of reach, mocking him.

Gaheris Rhade.

Rhade.

Telemachus turned on his heel to leave. Maybe it was the cryofumes getting to him. Taking one last look at the progenitor of his line, as eerie as it was to see almost _himself_ lying there, he exited the room.

He'd feel better once he reached the Maru.

* * *


	2. The Fallen

_What is reality?  
I am a plaster doll; I pose  
with eyes that cut open without landfall or nightfall  
upon some shellacked and grinning person,  
eyes that open, blue, steel, and close.  
Am I approximately an I. Magnin transplant?  
-Anne Sexton, Ancient Earth Poet_

Dylan Hunt was a suicidal anachronism. That much Tyr Anasazi was sure of. The man had taken then directly into the corona of a sun to escape some, as of yet, unknown threat.

Tyr was now starting to reconsider the pros and cons of why he had stayed aboard the ship in the first place. The presence of that idiot Dragan should have been enough to convince him not to, and in the beginning it had been.

If the Drago-Kazov stayed, he didn't.

And yet he did.

The Andromeda Ascendant was a glorious ship. The quarters he was given were, as well as the food, better than anything he had experienced before.

As a survivor he really shouldn't care, but it was nice for a change.

Andromeda's weapons and defenses were nice as well. Impressive. If she were his ship, he would be one of the most feared and well paid mercenaries in the Known Worlds. Maybe one day, after biding his time, he would take her from Dylan Hunt.

He had seriously considered making his move sooner after the sun incident.

A mutiny is what he had wanted.

Mutiny again Hunt, take his ship, and then kick the Maru crew off of his newly commandeered vessel.

And yet the problem with this plan was the other Nietzschean aboard.

Whatever Tyr did he would do the opposite of, and whatever he did Tyr himself would do the opposite of that.

He could never forget what he was.

The Drago-Kazov Pride massacred Kodiak Pride.

And they were never to be forgiven.

The survivors were butchered or sold into slavery, he remembered that all too well. Betrayal, pain, hardship, revenge.

The Dragans were abominations to everything Nietzschean.

And this Dragan, here with him now, was a Nez Pierce.

The name of a very decorated house within the Pride. A house of Alphas.

So that made Tyr very curious about the girl.

Imagine his surprise upon finding out that Telemachus Nez Pierce, honoured warrior of privilege and Drago-Kazov Alpha, genetic reincarnation of Gaheris Rhade had interbreeded with a kludge.

He had a child with Valentine.

The Captain of that hideous little ship in the docking bay.

It confused Tyr.

And despite the fact that she was a loud, commanding, take charge woman who could have been Nietzschean in a past life, no Drago-Kazov, no Nietzschean for that matter, would ever lower themselves to mate a kludge and raise resulting child.

It was a mystery in a house of oddities.

The fact alone that he had claimed the child.

>>>

 _"You want to rebuild the Commonwealth?" asked Beka incredulously staring at Hunt._

 _"I think it's my duty to try. But in order to that I'm going to need a crew."_

 _"Wait, you want us to help you?"_

 _"You mean we get to stay?" asked Harper looking around the Obs. Deck with glee before schooling his features and smiling sheepishly at Beka._

 _"Why would we want to help you?"_

 _"Well think of it this way. It's a chance to do something meaningful."_

 _Telemachus snorted._

 _"It'll also be an adventure," continued Dylan,"maybe one of the greatest ones you've ever been on. And if we succeed, you'll be heroes."_

 _"Or we'll be dead," quipped Telemachus. "You're talking about reuniting planets and peoples that have hated and feared each other since you've been frozen. What makes you think you can compromise between them? It's ludicrous."_

 _"I didn't say it would be easy, but didn't Nietzsche once say, 'The secret of reaping the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously'?"_

 _"Might've."_

 _"And we all die in the end when our time comes," said Rev._

 _"Do you guys want to do this?" asked Beka turning to everyone._

 _"Have you seen the crew quarters? The things I could do with this ship Beka, and the hottest little AI I know."_

 _"Whatever you decide Beka, we're with you," said Trance._

 _Beka turned to Telemachus. "What about you?"_

 _He grunted and shrugged._

 _"Can't we stay? The ship's really pretty."_

 _"I don't think we've properly met yet," said Dylan looking at the child._

 _"Hi!" Emily gave Dylan a little wave and her boneblades were finally fully noticed by two members._

 _Tyr raised an eyebrow._

 _"She's my daughter."_

 _Telemachus cleared his throat._

 _Rolling her eyes Beka indicated to herself and Telemachus. "Our daughter."_

 _"She's--your--"_

 _Dylan and Tyr both stared at her in shock._

>>>

Despite Tyr's hatred for everything Nez Pierce was, he found himself agreeing to stay on as part of Andromeda's crew. Half in part to annoy the Dragan and possibly kill him at a later date, but to also satisfy his own curiosity.

It was not typical Nietzschean behaviour and Tyr wanted to know why. Maybe Valentine had some sort of power over him. She could be telepathic. Why else would he seem to listen and even possibly respect her? There were mysteries aboard this ship and sooner or later they would all be unveiled. And Tyr would be there to see it.

>>>

"Why are we doing this? Why, just tell me why."

"Aw come on Beka it'll be fun."

"You're only saying that because you have a new toy to play with."

"Oh if only if I could convince the holo babe to be my toy. But then I'd be happy to be hers too."

"Harper, it's a ship."

"She is a beautiful woman. And I get my own quarters."

Beka shook her head as she finished watching Harper pack what minimal possessions he had. He had taken Hunt up on the offer to give them rooms. And why wouldn't he? She just hoped she wasn't losing her crew to an idealistic maniac.

Harper vanished off the Maru with promises to be back, Trance was already down in the Andromeda's Hydroponics bay, Rev and Emily had gone on a tour of the Heavy Cruiser, and Telemachus...he'd gone down to see his ancestor. Genetic Reincarnation. What were the odds that Hunt would have a man in a cryolocker that looked exactly like the father of her child? It was creepy.

Speaking of creepy, said father of child just appeared through the Maru's hatch looking a bit odd. Beka couldn't even to begin what it would be like to stare down at someone who could be a mirror reflection of yourself, and a dead one at that.

"You okay?"

He nodded. "Fine."

Beka got up from the stool she had been sitting on and walked over to him.

"It was weird wasn't it?"

Beka had been fully expecting it when Telemachus pulled her against him and breathed into her hair. It was just that thing he did and she was used to it, kinda liked it actually.

"Want you."

"No one's here."

As clothes were stripped and movements made towards their quarters, the shock that was Gaheris Rhade was finally starting to wear off and Telemachus was definitely starting to feel better.


	3. Inner Workings

_"People who claim they don't let little things bother them have never slept in a room with a single mosquito"  
-Unknown, Ancient Earth  
_

"What'cha working on?"

"Ahhh!" Harper jumped and screamed as a voice startled him out of his work. Turning around quickly, he tried to block out what he was doing.

Hadn't he locked the Maru tighter than a Tyklep Priestess' legs? "Uh, nothing I'm not doing nothing, why do you think I am? There's nothing here. How'd you get in here anyway?"

"Then what are you hiding?"

Emily crept closer into the room and tried to peer around the small human.

"It's nothing your little Nietzschean self needs to worry about. Just a uh, project."

"If it's dangerous mom's going to kill you."

"There's nothing dangerous about what I'm doing." Harper reached behind him and pulled the tarp higher over his creation.

"You've been in here since you came back from that drift. 'Hail the High guard' or whatever." Emily shuddered. "Whoever goes around ripping off boneblades can't be completely all there if you know what I mean. And of course Trance gets to go and make friends." She rubbed her blades unconsciously.

"Good ol' Trance, now hows'about you go and meet her when she gets back huh? Nothing to see here."

"Oh I think there is."

Emily smirked and made a dash to round the table Harper was working on. Making a squawking sound he tried his best to block her at every turn. Eventually part of the tarp got pulled. Emily stopped and stared.

"Is that a foot?"

"Um...no?" Harper pulled the blue plastic down again and stood protectively in front of it.

"Is it one of those kids?"

"What? No! No, of course not. Why would you think that? It-it's synthetic. I-I created it." Harper looked around and quickly pulled the tarp around the half finished arm that was peaking out and had caught Emily's interest.

"Is it a robot?"

"It's a secret. A surprise. I want it to be a surprise. If you're here now you keep your mouth shut okay? If I show you, not a word."

"I've already seen body parts so now you have to show me. And besides I'm faster than you anyway I could have seen it before now if I wanted to."

Harper groaned inwardly and conceded. It was sad that a nine-year-old was quicker than he was, not to mention stronger than he was too but then again, he knew her father. And well, Beka alone was pretty strong too. The kid had it on both sides. Divine help them when she turns eighteen.

Waking over to the end of the table, Emily pulled the tarp down and her eyes widened. "Woah."

"Well? She's not finished yet, but when she is..."

"Wow."

"She is pretty wow huh?"

* * *

"Dylan may not be a god, but on this ship - I _am_."

Emily watched Harper's face in amusement ever since Andromeda's new avatar showed up to save them from the insane children of GS92196. He was completely reveling in his short lived glory of creating her human form, before Dylan stripped his shirt off to wrap around Andromeda and praising the android.

"...who's the god now?"

"Harper you will never be a god."

"The god of mechanics and engineering I am and always will be for your information Teleschmuckus. I gave her form! I should be her god, I should be worshipped..."

Telemachus pinched the bridge of his nose. Harper had gone off into his own little world again, further 'conversation' with him would only provide him with a few huh's, yeah's, and mmmhmmm's. He was more Andromeda's puppet and willing pleasure slave, if she'd let him be, then her god.

Apart from that though, Dylan Hunt had led them into yet another death defying mission. How was one supposed to survive with this maniac? If he exposed his crew to radiation and xenocidal children straight out of the gate, what was next, open war in Magog infested space to save the universe?

Telemachus growled. This was not how he had expected his life to go. It wasn't how his mother had expected his life to go. Dylan Hunt was a madman in possession of one of the most powerful ships in the galaxy, and what was he doing with it? Nearly getting them all killed on some insane mission to reunite the Known Worlds, bring back his precious Commonwealth so everyone could live in 'peace'.

Snort.

Right.

The Drago-Kazov would get in the way of that undoubtedly. The slave planets, the luxury, instilling fear into kludges and ordering them to obey, having all their needs met at the cost of others. It wasn't something his Pride would give up so easily. And if Dylan had his way, the Drago-Kazov would either become his enemies or made to bend to the New Commonwealth's will.

It was entirely optimistic. And highly stupid.

The Drago-Kazov fleet was the second largest military force in the galaxy. The Than being the first.

Hunt was going to have one hell of a fight before him. And in order to do what he wanted to accomplish he'd need to get over his mistrust of Nietzscheans.

He regarded Tyr and himself with controlled suspicion. To some it may not seem like it, but Telemachus saw it. Dylan hid it well. A little more suspicion towards him but Hunt had issues to work through. It wasn't his fault that he looked exactly like Gaheris Rhade.

And speaking of Nietzscheans.

He watched Tyr glare at Dylan. The Captain had just self destructed the nova bombs in the slipstream. Saving Magog. Billions would have been destroyed but because some humans and other species may have inhabited the systems, they were stopped.

But even so, Anasazi's last comments to that boy leader just rubbed him the wrong way. Nova bombs would have been nice to have, the deaths of more than hundreds of thousands of hungry Magog would have been excellent, but even if some part of him agreed with Tyr, Telemachus just didn't like him. And he would be damned before they ever agreed on anything.

Besides, this gave him an opportunity to antagonise the Kodiak.

* * *

"You are such a kiss ass. 'Let me join you. I can train your holy warriors to command a galaxy.'" Telemachus mocked coming up behind Tyr as they both left Command.

"No wonder Kodiak fell, you're so pathetic you'd join with children."

"Children with nova bombs," said Tyr stopping lazily.

"So then you'd slaughter them all and rule the galaxy?" He scoffed. "You and what army?"

"You're one to talk Dragan."

"Your Pride couldn't even train themselves to defend their world, how would you train anyone? And what kind of Nietzschean lowers himself to humble inferiors?"

"As I said, you're one to talk. For all your claims of superiority I find it odd how you keep a human in your bed. Her child by your side." Tyr turned around and stared at Telemachus. "Tell me Dragan, does Captain Valentine have you on a leash so tight that you can't remember the definition of 'Nietzschean' as you preach to me? You've left your Pride for this life. I would ask if you are sterile but there's a girl who unfortunately bears you a strong resemblance. Another defect perhaps then? For you to leave your so-called 'Pride'?"

The two glared at each other, each unmoving.

* * *


	4. Ties That Bind

_"There are no whole truths: all truths are half-truths. It is trying to treat them as whole truths that plays the devil"  
-Alfred North Whitehead_

To say that Beka had been worried would have been an understatement. To have her long lost and wayward brother show up out of the blue after all these years was a shock. To have him come back to her under the guise of a Wayist Monk, now that she just couldn't swallow. Though whatever his con had been, it had thankfully kept him busy enough to give Emily only a little 'hi, hello' and completely ignoring Telemachus. Rafe was barely around the two of them, which in Beka's mind was good. Very good.

All she had to do was remember Rafe's freak out when they had found out she was pregnant. His reasons for it were valid, and his intentions were to protect her, but he didn't know the whole story. He still didn't. And the plan was that he never would. But now that Telemachus was back in her life, and in Emily's, she couldn't really hide him forever, could she? Maybe she could though. With the men of her family it would be shoot first, ask questions later.

Protect poor little Rocket from the big, bad Nietzschean.

Saying anything about Telemachus would only start bad and end worse. After everything she went through in the beginning with Avilan, her pregnancy, and everything afterwards, nothing good could come out of telling anybody.

It would be one thing to introduce him as some Nietzschean who was in no way a Drago-Kazov and another to say that yes, he was Emily's biological father and guess what? I've been sleeping with him for over a year now. That would go over well.

Her father was increasing his amount of mail and messages in attempts to persuade her in visiting him on Infinity, the rest of the crew included, including this 'Hunt fellow'. She'd always filled Ignatius in on what was happening, except her little run in with that Drago-Kazov ship that bitch-slapped the Maru to Vasily's.

Beka rested her head against one of Andromeda's bulk heads and prayed that Rafe had barely looked at Telemachus. Prayed even more that Emily hadn't been standing next to him at any time Rafe had been in their proximity. The resemblance alone might tip him off if he looked hard enough. She did not want to have to deal with this little omission from her past right now. She didn't want to deal with it ever. No one ever needed to know.

"There you are Rocket."

Beka jumped and spun to face her brother. _Thanks for the warning Andromeda._

"Hey, so what do you think of Andromeda?"

* * *

Telemachus was amused. The day he had just had was like no other. And he found that he now had two new found respects. One of which, was increased as the other was just brought to his attention.

He laughed a bit as he keyed a few things into the console in front of him. Who knew that Captain Dylan Let's Do Things My Way Because They're So Good And Noble Hunt could be so...Nietzshcean? The man had masterminded a plan that had completely destroyed a couple Rester ships with fake codes that re-launched their own missiles back at them. With Beka and her brother carrying out a scene that left even him believing them.

He was surrounded by devious people.

And that brought him back to something else. Beka had a brother.

A _con-artist_ brother.

He learned something new everyday. And the more Telemachus seemed to learn about Beka's family, the more his beliefs that his daughter had inherited a worthy lineage from the Valentines kept increasing. They were a strong family who did everything they could to live in a hostile world. They were survivors. So hardened by the galaxy that someday he would have to track down their line in search of any distant Nietzschean relations as minute as they might be; their family _had_ to have Nietzschean blood. They definitely fit more than a few of the characteristics.

Finishing up at the console, Telemachus headed to leave Command. As he neared the doors, they slid open to reveal the next shift. Harper was babbling and trailing after Rommie who looked to be humouring him. She always had that look on her face; a mixture of amused and annoyed.

Emily trailed in after them before turning around after her father, grabbing onto his arm as they exited.

"I have an escort now?"

"Yup." Emily glanced up at him. "Have you ever met Uncle Rafe?"

"No."

"Grandpa?"

"Never."

"Hmmm. Well Grandpa's cool, he gave mom the Maru, him and mom's uncle built it together but then he met Grandma and settled down on Infinity Atoll. That's where she lived. I wish mom would take us to visit soon, it's been _years_ ," she said. "And Uncle Rafe, I think the last time I saw him I was four or five. It's like no one in our family can stay connected."

Telemachus smiled at that. The child was right. Beka may stay in contact with her father but she had admitted that they hadn't been face to face in a long time, and he hadn't heard a word of a brother until now. Hell, he and Emily hadn't even met until a year ago.

But that's what tends to happen when one travels. You keep getting further and further away from family, the galaxies are large and there are things to be done. If you live in space and make your living there, how often does one really go back home for shore leave? With slipstream everything is relative, but a jump that takes a few minutes compared to eleven hours or more? You're going to make the short jump.

Telemachus turned his attention back to his still talking daughter and ran a hand over her ponytail.

* * *

"So you're not staying?"

"Well your Captain Hunt made a very tempting offer but no, I'm not. I should probably go by Danni's grave."

Beka nodded. "I understand."

"Are you okay here?"

"What? Me?" She gave him a look. "Dylan's idea of reuniting the Known Worlds might be a little crazy but I'm okay. Besides he's going to need the best pilot he can to get him out of some of his stunts."

"That's not what I meant..." Rafe turned his head towards falling footsteps. His eyes followed as Tyr appeared down the open corridor and walked on.

"Rafe..." Her eyes had followed his gaze.

"Two Nietzscheans. Not one, two. Harper and Dylan I like, they're good guys and the other two are women. But Beka..."

"Don't. Just don't."

"Beka they give me the creeps. That day scared the hell out of me and I was on the ship and you know..."

Beka was trying to look anywhere other than at her brother as he trailed off. This was what she had wanted to avoid. He didn't have to bring it up, but whenever there were Nietzscheans around he got twitchy. Hell, even when Emily was a baby, _she_ weirded him out.

It had been a bad time for all of them. Everyone blaming the other for things she didn't say. Rafe was most likely still dealing with the guilt that he hadn't been watching her. Still blaming himself like he blamed their father. Though if either of them had been there it could have ended much worse. They could have been killed immediately or rounded up and slaved. She might not have found Telemachus again. Or rather, ended up with the Nietzschean who found him for her.

"Rafe..."

"Kinda sketchy isn't he?" Rafe nodded to the direction Tyr had gone. They had both started walking towards the hangar bay when a turned corner brought Nietzschean Number Two into view along with Emily. Beka stopped and turned to her brother, hoping he'd stop and turn towards her, completely ignoring the two a ways in front of them.

"That's Tyr for you," she said quickly.

"What Pride?"

"He's Kodiak. Last survivor apparently."

And apparently her plan hadn't worked. Rafe was staring down the hall with a weird look. When Beka turned her head both her lover and daughter were out of sight.

"And that one? What's he? You don't think Emily's taking a liking to either one do you?"

And there were half the questions she didn't want to answer. She didn't like lying to family, especially when it was about family. But she'd been doing it for almost a decade now right? By omission and avoidance?

"I-"

"Mom!"

Beka and Rafe turned to find Emily marching towards them looking annoyed and slightly put-off. Beka couldn't describe how much she loved that child. Awkward interruptions were definitely her specialty.

"Mom, they're doing it again." She crossed her arms.

"Doing what?" asked Rafe.

It took Beka a second to figure out what Emily was talking about. She sighed as followed her child to the "Combat Zone" as Rafe followed in confusion.

"Beka?"

"Posturing."

* * *

By the time the three arrived, Tyr and Telemachus stood with arms crossed, a foot apart, growling at each other. Holo-Rommie stood beside them shaking her head as they ignored her. As soon as she saw Beka she disappeared from their side and reappeared at the First Officer's.

"Beka."

"Andromeda, they're..."

"Refusing to move out of the other's way. Each wants the other to move."

Beka glared at the Nietzscheans. "Hey, are you both idiots?"

She could hear Rafe choking behind her as she moved to stand almost between the two Alphas.

"Everyone on this ship is getting sick of this. Either you two need to get along, agree to disagree, or have Andromeda keep you informed of your movements so you don't run into each other."

"I doubt it would help," said Holo-Rommie. "If they knew they were coming down the same corridor, they would stay on course just to run into each other. To avoid down another corridor and let the other pass would be seen as an inferior move and a bow to the other's superiority."

"Then they both avoid each other by going down a different corridor. No one gets the main corridor. It's just a damn hallway you two."

"It's more than that."

"Oh right, you're involved in a little testosterone display, well suck it up and quit it. One of you will pass on the left and the other on the right. You both are going to move."

Beka huffed as both Nietzscheans snorted at her and continued to glare at each other.

Emily moved to sit opposite of Beka, her hands on her face as she stared up at the two Nietzscheans waiting for one to break the line. It was really weird to see two adults acting so stubbornly. It annoyed and interested her at the same time. On one end she was a bit ignored but on the other she got to see how Nietzscheans worked.

"He needs to be removed from his self righteous pedestal."

Emily rolled her eyes at Tyr's statement. He may have been the taller of the two, but her dad could take him. Besides Tyr was the one who started everything anyway.

"At least I have a pedestal to hold myself up on. Yours crashed and burned along with the rest of your Pride."

Tyr growled and heavily considered pulling his blaster to shoot the smug smirk right off the Dragan's face.

"Can you both stop with the insulting? One day this is going to lead one of you to the ship's morgue. If not both of you."

All the while Beka had been trying to sort something out, as since the last time outside Command, Dylan was adamant in trying to get them to stop meeting like this in the halls, Beka didn't notice Rafe moving to the left to get a better look at Telemachus.

His sister had gone absolutely insane. He would have thought that after Avilan she would have been terrified of Nietzscheans. He was cringing with everyone one of their growls and insults, waiting for them all to be slaughtered.

But then he noticed something. A slight shift in eyebrow and the quirk of a mouth.

Rafe recognized that smirk.

Furrowing his brow, his eyes darted back and forth between Telemachus and Emily. She looked bored, and when Telemachus rolled his eyes at something the other Nietzschean said and hit him with the same bored look, Rafe's stomach turned to ice.

No. There was no way. No. No. No. The universe was big. People looked like people they had no relation to at all all the time. Besides he might not be a...

Rafe's heart leapt into his throat as the two Nietzscheans lunged at each other and Beka situated herself firmly between them. His teeth ground together hard as he finally comprehended why no one was moving further. Beka had two gauss guns pressed beneath their throats.

* * *

When Telemachus and Tyr lunged at each other, Beka stepped directly between them, and ended up nearly crushed. As Emily jumped back, her gaze was drawn to Telemachus's weapon. Grabbing his as well as her own, she forced her arms up and the nozzle of each gun under the Nietzschean's chins.

"All right, this is what we're going to do," she stated hotly. "You both are going to turn around and walk in opposite directions. No one gets this corridor, you both get new ones. It's either that or a bullet through both your heads."

Telemachus looked at Tyr. "She'll do it."

"Unfortunately I am forced to agree."

With one last glare, they stepped back away from Beka and from each other.

"A job well done Beka."

"Yeah and where the hell were you?" She asked into the empty corridor.

Dylan's face appeared on one of Andromeda's corridor vid screens. "Andromeda's a big ship and by the time I was half way there I was informed that you had everything under control. I knew I made you First Officer for a reason."

She gave the Nietzscheans a smug smirk and motioned the guns at them, causing another step back.

"Gentlemen," proceeded Dylan. "As much as you may not like it, you're going to have to learn to get along. If you two can do it then there may be some hope for your race after all."

They both shot Dylan a dirty look.

"Now turn around and part ways. Before I make you shake hands."

Telemachus ignored Dylan and held his hand out to Beka. "Give it back."

"I don't think so."

He grunted and headed down the corridor passed Rafe, who moved quickly.

"Where are you going?"

"Weapons locker!"

Beka rolled her eyes as he left and watched as Tyr smirked and continued on his way, down the corridor that Telemachus had previously blocked.

She sighed. This pissing contest wasn't over by a long shot.

Beka holstered her gun and tapped Telemachus's against her side as Emily voiced that she was going to find Trance. Staring up at the ceiling, she turned around and jumped.

Oh. Damn.

She'd completely forgotten about Rafe, who was looking at her completely shell shocked.

"Talk. Now. Right now."

Before she could say another thing, Rafe was dragging her by the arm to the hangar where the Maru was docked.

* * *

"Have you completely lost your mind!" he demanded. "Those are two very big _Nietzscheans_ that you just threatened, not only that but you _got in their w_ ay. Notice those things on their arms? Twitching boneblades that can rip through flesh? You should, you see them everyday, your daughter has them! Which case in point should remind you not to get anywhere near them."

"They're not going to do anything!"

"Oh, oh really, really is that what you think? Really, truly, because they looked pretty homicidal to me."

"They're rivals Rafe."

He barked a laugh and started pacing the Maru's grating.

"You know what, yes you're right, Dylan's insane. He has two Nietzscheans aboard his ship. You know what? You should just come back with me, go back to work for dad, stay planetside and-"

" _Excuse_ me? Rafael Valentine don't you dare tell me what to do because you're having a panic attack!"

"Panic attack? Dammit, Beka," he gaped at her, "I can't believe _your_ not having one! That you want to be here. With _them_."

"Not every Nietzschean is the same. And I, when-gah!"

Beka threw her hands up in frustration. "Look Rafe I'm fine, and if you still want the title 'Valentine Smarter' you had better open your eyes and see that!"

"You know Beka I-just, just tell me one thing then," he said breathing deeply.

"What?"

"That, that one. The one Emily is always hovering around. Just-I did notice, but then when, they look... Beka just, Beka tell me he's not her father."

Her stomach dropped lower than she thought imaginable. What-to-do-what-to-do-what-to-do-what-to-do...

"Course not," she bit out, taking the coward's way. There was no way she could tell him now. Like nine years before, he was in no mental state to hear the truth. Maybe someday he'd be ready for it, but today _she_ just couldn't deal with it. Just hopefully, her reply was enough. But from the look on his face, it wasn't.

"Beka. Bekaaa."

"What?" she asked helplessly.

"You have that look. Beka don't have that look."

"What look?"

She watched as Rafe moaned and collapsed onto one of the stools and covered his face with his hands.

"You always have that look when you don't know what to say. When you're hiding something..."

"Rafe..." Beka shut her eyes tight and took a deep calming breath. Her time had run out. "It's not what you think..."

* * *


	5. Appeal

_"Be den lie,  
Morec'hai mor du ec  
tel is gai pur du  
kelek, mar tes."  
-Kenduri Temptess, "The Unknown Origin in Riddles" CY 10061_

The General of Systems Security watched as the Drago-Kazov Fleet began positioning themselves to cut off all slipstream access routes to the planet. At the rate they were going, it looked as though their only window of escape would be rapidly closed within the next thirty minutes or so. The Drago-Kazov had sent an envoy two months ago and had given them until now to lay down their arms and submit to their rule. The mid routes to their planet had finally been stumbled upon and with it, the bounties they had stockpiled in grains and seasonal growths, and water supplies had been targeted.

The Nietzscheans were undoubtedly the iron fist in the conflict, with more weapons and firepower, ships and fighters, they would undoubtedly just take what they wanted anyway. The "choice" was only given to make it seem like something they had control over. General Kessek snorted. Right. Tell the Drago-Kazov Pride to leave peacefully and expect them to just back off from a world that they could conquer and raze so easily?

Unlikely.

They played mind games with sovereign worlds with strong political leaders; any chance to show their superiority in all arenas. If they were a smaller planet there would have been no "polite" conversation, the Nietzscheans would have just infiltrated and attacked, like they preferred to do.

But Kessek's people could put up a decent fight. They had ships, trained men, and weapons of their own, yet anything they did would only slow down the inevitable. But their sacrifices would be enough to get the senator and royal family off the planet.

The Dragans had been spreading a wave of conquest throughout the galaxy, and in the last thirty years their technology had leapt to incredible heights. Watching his display now, Kessek could see for himself that the rumours of Commonwealth ships were true. Whether these were the ones from the infamous Tartarus system or not would never be known, but where else could they have come from? The only other possibility was unthinkable.

Tarazed.

Their planets had formed a small trade alliance some forty years ago. No one from their world had ever seen the Commonwealth's last true world, but there had been envoys who had ventured out of the secluded space. Yet only a handful of people from Tarazed had ever ventured out into the universe, years would pass before any were heard from again. It was disconcerting now that their complete disappearance from Ode space had coincided with a rise in Dragan military might.

Kessek had been a thirty-six year old Fleet Captain back then, when he had last met with Admiral Lucius Rhade of Majorum Pride. Nietzscheans with honour. Who would have thought?  
The main doors slid open behind him, as a hurried Lieutenant walked briskly towards him.

"Sir?"

"Yes Lieutenant?" asked Kessek breaking out of his reverie.

"They're waiting for you in the hangar sir."

"Tell them to go."

"But-"

"I'm not leaving. This is where I'm needed most. We will not fall to these barbarians," said Kessek, "You have the coordinates?"

"Yes sir."

"Then I trust you'll take care of them _Captain_."

He watched the young man try and hide his shock of the immediate promotion but he quickly steeled himself like the officer he was and saluted.

"Good. Get going. We would prefer a peaceful solution to this, and if this Captain Hunt's reputation is anything to go by, he just might be the one to do it. And if not, at least he'll have a ship to match theirs…"

* * *

Rafe Valentine had been in shock and denial. The story Beka had told him went nearly beyond all thought of comprehension. He couldn't understand what she had been thinking. And yes, sure he had been sexually active at sixteen as well but at least he had the intelligence to use some form of protection. And he didn't sleep with a Nietzschean.

A Nietzschean.

That had always burned in his mind. Every time he'd catch himself with certain thoughts going back to that day by looking at Emily, he had had to quash them before they started, unwilling to remember what had happened, and unwilling to blame Emily for her father's crimes. He should have been with Beka but he wasn't, and the unspeakable happened. But now…how could…

She'd been with the uber _before_ the attack. Before.

At least that's what she told him. It was before the attack and then once the attack started, she was glad she did. Otherwise what she had let him and her father believe for years really would have happened with another Nietzschean, but because she already…Rafe shuddered…

 _"…I…already smelled like him so the other Nietzschean carried me over and threw me back at Telemachus…"_

 _"Telemachus?"_

 _"Emily's father," said Beka._

 _"Her fa-Beka, no, no you were traumatized and you're just making this up!" started Rafe until Beka cut off of what would have become a hysterical rant. Nothing she was saying made sense to him. He was lost in something he couldn't understand._

 _"Dammit Rafe, I_ wasn't _raped! I just-I, I just…it was easier okay? And I was so scared, both you and dad, you were fighting all the time, at each others throats, I could_ hear _you Rafe, about what I should do to_ my _daughter. It didn't matter what she was, it's never mattered to me, I was scared as hell but I did it. I've raised her as best as I could, and with dad and mom, she's my baby, and he's…"_

 _"Her father."_

 _"Rafe…"_

 _But he didn't hear her. All he could think about was that now he had a name and a face to finally hate._

He couldn't face upto it. Whether it was the truth or just something she told him to…to…he didn't know what. Dylan didn't seem the type of person who would keep a… _thing_ like that aboard, and after the confrontation with Beka, Rafe had stormed directly to the Captain's quarters and demanded _both_ Nietzscheans thrown off the ship, what the other one was, he didn't care. The ultimatum was to do it or find himself without Rafe Valentine's sister for a pilot and First Officer.

As he looked back over it now, Dylan had been completely on the out regarding certain peoples pasts, but considering they were Valentines that wouldn't be at all odd. He had said he'd look into it, too calmly for Rafe's taste and he had gone off ranting. Dylan, to his credit, had remained seated and passive and then told Rafe that he would always be suspicious of Nietzscheans, after what Rhade had done at Hephaistos, he had a long way to go before trusting them again.

Still in a snit, Rafe merely nodded and left. After one more time trying futilely to convince Beka to get Emily and come with him, he left. He couldn't stay aboard that ship for another minute. Not when he knew who else was on it. When he'd be back, he couldn't say. Maybe once Beka stopped deluding herself and came to her senses she'd find him, but for now he just couldn't deal with everything she had told him. Truth or fiction, he was at a loss. He needed time to process and think things over. Maybe then, then they could talk rationally. But that was a long time coming.

* * *

Dylan's mind was a mangled mess yet again. After Rafe Valentine's explosion he knew he was going to have to talk to Beka about a few things. He didn't know anything extensive about his new crew's pasts other than the fact that Beka was in salvage and had family on Infinity Atoll, Harper used to live on Earth, Rev was a monk trying to make up for his past on Kingfisher, Tyr was a mercenary, and Trance…well she was a complete mystery.

But Beka and Telemachus…that day on the Obs. Deck all those months ago, he had been shocked that they had a child together, but given that Telemachus was still a Rhade no matter how he spun it, it shouldn't have surprised him so. Gaheris had once told him of a third cousin who had married a human female. Maybe it had been the whole Drago-Kazov aspect of this new Rhade that threw it off. That still puzzled him. Dylan was curious to see the lineage from where Telemachus's line branched off into a new Pride. It didn't make sense that a Majorum would marry into the Drago-Kazov. They were too proud for that and the "majority" loyal to the Commonwealth.

 _It's too bad that Gaheris wasn't part of that…_ thought Dylan bitterly. Maybe he had been speaking to the Dragans behind Dylan's back. Had one of his wives taken a Drago-Kazov husband when Rhade hadn't returned? But no, Telemachus would have to be a direct descendent of Gaheris in order to pull off that one in about a million trillions of a chance at genetic reincarnation. It made Dylan's head hurt just trying to think about it. And he was sure a migraine would start if he threw Beka and Emily into the Telemachus equation.

He had watched the Nietzschean closely, as well as Tyr, these past months and there wasn't anything he had seen yet to get rid of them. The Nietzschean treachery was still there, but so far they were behaving themselves around everyone but each other. Beka and Telemachus looked comfortable with each other, no problems working together. Rafe's accusations had never crossed his mind until now.

But no matter what was seen and what wasn't, he was still Andromeda's Captain and with that came the responsibility of checking up on any allegations brought up against his crew. Her brother was worried about her, and Dylan had to know if there was anything to be concerned about.

* * *


	6. Event Horizon

_"Destiny is a good thing to accept when it's going your way. When it isn't, don't call it destiny; call it injustice, treachery, or simple bad luck"  
-Joseph Heller, Ancient Earth  
_

"Mail call!"

"We never get anything good," said Harper as he watched Trance bounce in front of the screen, "Bill, bill, bill, junk, one for Rev."

"Just sort it already," snapped Beka.

"You okay boss?"

"Fine."

Harper nodded lightly and went back to the screens. Both Dylan and Telemachus cast her sidelong looks, though for entirely different reasons.

The Nietzschean had a weird feeling somewhere in the vicinity of his stomach. Beka had been rather cool to everyone since the rather abrupt departure of her brother and he hadn't yet had the chance to catch her alone. If he didn't know any better he would have thought the feeling plaguing him might be _concern_. But he never felt that before, so why would he now? The confusion just never ended.

"Hey rock head you got one marked urgent. What's that about?"

Telemachus glared at the tiny human and stared up at Andromeda's screen. There were only a few members of the Pride that knew exactly where he was, so the urgency of the message had him wondering.

"Patch it through to the First Officer's quarters and engage privacy mode." He said walking out of Command, not seeing the almost invisible flinch on Dylan's face when he had said it so much like Gaheris used to.

"Hey, there's one from grandpa!" Emily sat up straighter where she had been perched on the side of the slipstream chair. "There's one for each of us."

Beka tried not to sigh as Emily would pick up on her lack of enthusiasm, that was, if the girl hadn't already. She knew this message would be coming and what it would say. The only question was, had Rafe talked to him before he had sent the message?

"Andromeda, send them to the Maru."

"They'll be waiting when you arrive."

"Thanks."

Getting up, the two Valentines headed out for the Maru, one getting lost in thought, the other nearly dancing through the halls.

"...and we haven't heard from them in so long, hey do you think grandma's on there at all mom? Mom? Mom"  
"Hmm? What?" Beka snapped out of her daze and looked down at her daughter who was looking at her strangely.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, why?"

"You're just, not you today," she said furrowing her brow. "Is it because Uncle Rafe left like that?"

"Like what?" asked Beka hoping that the two hadn't met in the halls when the older Valentine had been storming off to his transport.

"Well he didn't even say good-bye to me. He was just gone. Did he do something?"

"Sweetheart it's...it's nothing you need to worry about, he was in a real hurry."

"Well still..." she started and leaned back against Beka's hand as she started pushing Emily towards the Maru.

"Come on, we have letters from grandpa to open don't we?"

Emily sighed, she could tell the fake tones from the real ones and right now her mother wasn't 100 behind her limited enthusiasm.

"Was it about dad?"

"What?"

"Why Uncle Rafe left, was it about dad?"

"What would make you think that?"

"I remember what Bobby said. And...and when you stopped dad and Tyr's fight, that's when..."

"Sweetheart," Beka interrupted, "it's nothing to worry about. I promise okay? Now stop worrying about things, that's my job right? It's nothing. Now I think we have some mail waiting for us don't we?"

Emily nodded and let her mother lead her down the halls towards the Maru. She could hear her mother's heart beating faster than normal, she could see her eyes dilating and shifting. She knew something was going on but no one was going to tell her.

* * *

Beka leaned back against her door and sighed. Emily was finally in her quarters listening to her message and she could finally breathe. The girl was asking questions Beka did not want to answer. Especially to a nine-year-old girl, though thanks to her Nietzschean heritage it felt and looked like Emily was twelve.

"Damn Nietzschean genetics," muttered Beka as she walked over to her comm. screen and punched in the code to retrieve her message. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw her father's smiling face come on screen. Had Rafe gotten to him first, she was sure he wouldn't be greeting her so nicely.

 _"Hey Rocket, it's been quite a while since I've heard from you, more than several months actually. I hope you're doing all right with everything and that Captain Hunt. It seems through the rumour mill that he actually has some worlds signed up for this New Commonwealth thing of his. I still don't know what to make of it really, he's either an idealist or completely insane. I hope for your sake it's just the former, though I guess you have to be a little crazy to do what he's trying to do..."_

"You have no idea," Beka muttered to the screen. There had been a few close calls, which had made her think about leaving the Andromeda shortly after they had signed on. If Emily hadn't been Nietzschean would the radiation of the sun they flew into have affected her like it did Harper? Would Dylan have even cared? Emily was her life, this mission was putting them in danger and if anything ever happened to her baby, if Emily ever got involved in the middle of something, Beka knew she would leave.

 _"...Anyway sweetheart, I was just wondering, once_ again _mind you, when are you planning on coming down here to visit your old man? I miss you Rocket, and Emily too. It would be nice to see you back down here; Jenna would love to see you girls again too, heck bring your whole crew down if you want. That Harper of yours is a real good kid, was down here a while back for the pan-galactic surfing championships, and what surfer! I can't believe he's from Earth."_

Beka smiled. She remembered Harper's placement in that contest; it was very damn good. He'd moved up to 36th out of ten thousand other surfers from all over the galaxy. And her father and step-mother had been nice enough to let him stay with them while the tournament concluded.

 _"I was thinking though, if you didn't make it down here then maybe I might come up there, see this ship..."_

"Wait, what?" Beka's heart leapt into her throat.

 _"Maybe I should meet this Captain, see if he's sane enough to be taking care of my girls..."_

"I don't need taking care of!"

 _"I've been thinking about it for a while, I haven't seen Rafe either but then when's our relationship ever been really good? So maybe I'll see you soon Rocket, it'd be nice to see you and Emily and if I can make it why not?"_

"No. No, no, no, no, dad you can't."

 _"Take care Rocket. I hope things are going well, and would it really kill you to keep it touch more?"_

Her father gave her a smile and a wink before he disappeared off screen and Beka buried her head in her hands. She had just dealt with Rafe, got everything about Telemachus out in the open with him and now her father wanted to stop by? This had to be hell. If Rafe had noticed the similarities between Telemachus and Emily, then her father probably would as well.

 _Unless...unless they never see each other and I keep them far, far apart._

She wasn't ready for this. Telling Rafe was one thing but to admit it to her father? She couldn't do it. There was no way she could tell him what really happened. Just the memory of the Flash hitting the wall, he had blamed himself so much. She had never seen him look so broken. And he quit Flash. He had actually made it. He had quit to be there for her like he should have been before. He had done everything for her in the wake of Avilan. And to tell him that besides a few close calls that could have ended badly, she didn't get as hurt as he thought?

And then of course there was telling him that even if the planet wasn't attacked, if Telemachus had just been scouting, she may have still gotten pregnant; that Emily had most likely happened before the attack. Beka groaned, her father would probably blame himself for that anyway. She had wanted to forget about how life was, what the Flash was doing to him and she handled it very badly.

Beka laughed bitterly. _Or,_ she decided, _dad could react like Rafe did and this time he might just have that drug relapse._

 _Please don't let him show up now. In a month or two maybe, a year fine. Just not now, not just after Rafe..._

"Beka?"

The blonde started at Andromeda's voice as the hologram popped up beside her.

"Uh, hello, I thought privacy mode meant, you know, _private_."

"I'm sorry Beka, but Dylan sent me to ask you to meet him in his office. He wants to speak with you."

"About what, and does this mean he can override privacy mode?"

"A discussion saved for his office and yes."

Beka scoffed as the hologram disappeared. Override privacy mode huh? She shook her head and decided to find out what Andromeda's Captain wanted to see her about.

* * *

Telemachus walked slowly into the interior of the old First Officer's Quarters. Nothing of Gaheris's had been moved since he had started using it as a private office. Beka didn't want it as she had the Maru and it served his purposes if Beka and Emily or any of the other Maru crew members were on the small cargo ship and he needed to be alone. Though he would much prefer to be on the Maru, there was something about Gaheris's rooms that felt strange to him.

It was incredibly odd to be standing in his ancestor's quarters; the very man who started his line and with whom he shared the exact same DNA sequence.

Telemachus walked by a shelved picture of Gaheris and Dylan, his own clean shaven face staring back out at him from the glass. All his life he had heard he was a genetic reincarnation but that was the extent of it. He knew his mother and his father, Kallianax who raised him as hers, his grandparents. He knew his line, but where and how did Gaheris Rhade fit into all of it? He was descended from him, there was no doubt, it was just finding out _how_ that eluded him. And that had begun bothering him more and more lately.

He had pulled his lineage from the Nez Pierce files and it brought up questions he didn't have any answers for, it also brought up incidences with other Drago-Kazov in his youth that had confused him to no end. His mother had always said the hostility was actually their jealousy, but the more he sought the more he wondered. He'd have to go back to Enga's Redoubt sometime in the future. Dylan's arrival and that of his deceased ancestor had set some things in motion.

When exactly had Gaheris's line made the move into the Drago-Kazov? It was odd that there were no real records of it. Parts were missing, and with reading Rhade's meticulous logs and journals there was no way that part of their family's genetic lineage would just go missing like that or become lost in time. He'd turn over in his grave for sure.

Telemachus shook his head to try and clear the thoughts, he had other matters to attend to. As much as he would love to chase his genes and finally get answers for all the confusion he felt with the Drago-Kazov, he had a message and possibly a duty to take care of first.

Hitting the console, he watched Cyrus's familiar face fill the screen, giving his trademark smirk before starting.

 _"Telemachus my friend, you should hear the things your mother has been saying about you. She's got a way with words I'll tell you that and you're lucky you have some loyalties in the pride._

 _But alas, this isn't a social call. We've got some trouble heading your way, so it looks like you might just justify what you're doing with those kludges and that bastard Kodiak. And seeing as you are AWOL I'll get to our problem. Some stupid little planet has been giving us trouble. We gave them plenty of time to surrender their arms and bow at our feet, but what can I say? Give a kludge a weapon and he thinks he can defeat the entire Drago-Kazov single handedly. This planet is just what we've been looking for..."_

Telemachus snorted. His Pride was always looking for something and on pretty planets they usually found it. Cyrus was probably going to tell him, and oh here it was...

 _"...you should see the goods coming out of it. We'll be culling off all who oppose us and turn it into a resource planet like Midden is. I love tribute._

 _You're probably by now wondering though what this has to do with you, and well it seems your Captain Hunt has been heard of all the way out here. Please tell me you're planning on killing him and taking over the ship yeah?_

 _Anyway, point is, the royal family and the kludge who runs things with the other alliances managed to get passed the blockades and into slipstream. I hope you're getting this message before the little envoy shows up at your door. We want that planet Telemachus, I don't care if you scare them into giving up, or kill them when Hunt isn't looking. If they think he can stop us they're wrong. It's one warship against how many of ours? Hunt isn't the only one with a Commonwealth Heavy Cruiser and we don't negotiate. Get that through their heads. We're not stopping the raid..."_

* * *

Beka stormed down the hall fuming. After spending less than fifteen minutes in Dylan's office she had lost it. How dare he? How dare _Rafe_? She couldn't believe her brother had gone running to Dylan, as if _he_ could do anything. Her life was her own, she associated with whom she felt, and it was none of Dylan Hunt's business especially when he didn't know a damn thing about what he was talking about. All he had to go on was one of Rafe's tirade rants; and sure, Hunt had been the picture of calm but she could hear the tone he had carefully hidden under all that _concern_. She knew he didn't trust Nietzscheans, after what his last First Officer did to him, the spitting image of Telemachus but _still_ , that gave him _no_ right. None at all.

And damn Rafe! This was family business, how dare he feel the need to broadcast it all over the damn place. And how dare Dylan bring this up _now_.

"Beka."

The blonde ignored the hologram that appeared in her way and marched right through it continuing on down the hall.

"Beka," Holo-Rommie tried again, "Dylan's just worried about his crew."

"And Rafe's lost his mind."

"If you would have just explained it to Dylan..."

"Explain what? There's nothing to explain, it's my past, my child, and my...Nietzschean, which is all none of Dylan's business; I already said my piece."

"No, you screamed your piece and walked out."

"Same difference."

"I understand that you're angry."

"Oh you're damn right I am, but how exactly can _you_ understand? You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Dylan..."

"Stop, just stop! I don't want to hear his name or my idiot of a brother's. He had no right to go crying to Dylan and bitching about something he doesn't understand."

"Well maybe if you had told him the truth from the beginning he wouldn't have had such a reaction."

"Excuse me?" Beka finally stopped and glared at the hologram that kept popping up in front of her.

"You forgot to engage privacy mode."

Beka scoffed and folded her arms. "Then why don't you just replay that for your precious Captain? I was certainly a lot calmer then wasn't I?"

"If you weren't hiding anything, why did you not tell him for years? Or your father?"

"There's a lot you don't understand, their reactions when they found out I was pregnant, they _assumed_ and I didn't correct that assumption because at the time I couldn't. I wanted to, and I was going to, but I couldn't. So I let them think what they wanted to think."

"So you lied to them?"

"I was sixteen, I was scared and pregnant, and I had my brother and my father cutting me off every time I tried to say something to contradict them, so eventually I just gave up trying and let them think what they wanted. Who would believe me anyway? Even though the first time it happened I didn't know he was a Nietzschean. Should I have been more careful? Yes, but I wanted to forget and that's exactly what he did for me. Do you have any idea what it was like with a-" Beka stopped suddenly. No, she wasn't going any further. She was talking to the _ship_ of all "people". Her father's old habits were none of Andromeda or Hunt's business. They weren't family.

"Beka?"

"Just leave me alone."

Holo-Rommie watched the anger drain out of Beka as the woman walked through her again with her stubborn edge.

* * *

Once safely back on the Maru and engaging privacy mode, Beka collapsed onto her bed and buried her face in the pillows. Her day could not possibly get any worse than this. Who the hell did Dylan think he was?

"If you're not bringing comfort food get out," she mumbled as the door to her quarters slid open.

"Depends on what you want." She smiled lightly at the low rumble of Telemachus's voice and the decompression of the bed as he kneeled on the edge and crawled over her. His thighs stopped and rested against her hips on either side of her body and he ran his hands up over her back.

"Bad day?"

"Nothing can make it worse if that's what you mean."

She let out a relaxing sigh when she felt his hands wander to her sides and skim her breasts and placing a kiss to the nape of her neck.

"I should warn you that Dylan's an ass."

"He's human."

"I'm human."

"You're mine and you've been acting off all day."

"Emily noticed it to, where is she?"

"With Trance in Hydroponics."

"Oh."

"What did Captain Terrific do now?"

"Well for starters when I was ripping you and Tyr away from each other, Rafe noticed how much Emily looks like you."

Telemachus stilled his movements. "And?"

"I told him what happened. He freaked out, went crying to Dylan that you forced yourself on me like the Drago-Kazov usually do. So don't be surprised if he tries to get you in his office and explain things that are none of his damn business."

"What _did_ you tell your parents about that?"

"They assumed. I let them. You couldn't possibly imagine what things were like so just don't say anything. I'm not in the mood for more lecture bullshit."

Telemachus shifted himself to lie sidelong against Beka.

"What was yours about?" she asked changing the subject. Telemachus knew she was going to do that. She tended to do it when she got uncomfortable around a topic. And her family was as uncomfortable as topics went.

"There's an envoy heading this way," he said, giving Beka her out of the conversation. "My Pride is raiding their planet and they're under the misguided notion that Dylan Hunt can save them."

"Another slave planet?"

"Like Midden, not Earth. They have excellent agricultural resources and their government needs to be taken down a notch, the 'negotiations' fizzled instantly when their senator pissed off the Commander, demanding that they leave or face the full might of their pathetic military. No one can make that kind of threat against the Drago-Kazov, no one has our strength."

"Which planet?" asked Beka.

"Some mud ball called Oedekirk."

* * *


	7. Dread

_"On me the tempest falls. It does not make me tremble. O holy Mother Earth, O air and sun, behold me. I am wronged"  
-Aeschylus, Pre-Ancient Earth_

Telemachus furrowed his brows and tried to determine how exactly he had ended up on the floor. He remembered rubbing Beka's back in hopes of doing something a little more physical, and then he had talked about Cyrus's "important comm." And the next thing he knew he was on the floor, staring up in confusion at the ceiling.

Sitting up carefully, he looked around the empty room and huffed.

What the hell was Beka's problem today exactly? First it was something to do with Dylan from what he could garner out of her and now she just ups and vanishes.

Growling to himself, he stood up and made his way out of the Maru following Beka's scent.

* * *

This wasn't happening. This could not be happening.

Beka practically tore out of the Maru the moment she had heard Telemachus's last sentence. But this. There was no way this was happening to her! How the hell could her life keep spiraling out like this? It was one thing when her family split into pieces, it was another thing when Emily was born, hell she'd even invite Rafe back for another round of 'My sister's a raving lunatic', but this...

Talia Ketessen Valentine.

Homewrecker. Betrayer. Abandonner. Bitch.

Mother.

It was too much. Had Telemachus really said that she was heading here? To the _Andromeda_?

The Senator of Oedekirk herself, coming to the Andromeda for help. Well, it seemed like Dylan's reputation as a negotiator was spreading faster than a Nightsider to water. But for her to think that he could stop a Nietzschean planet raid? Was she insane?

Not even "Dylan-the-Great" could convince an entire _Pride_ to leave a planet alone. The Andromeda was one ship. A single entity. The Drago-Kazov had _thousands_ of ships at their disposal, even more. It wouldn't be all that hard for them to rip Andromeda apart piece by piece if they wanted to.

And her crew along with it.

Hell, the only guarantee they had that they wouldn't be fired on immediately was Telemachus. And the Dragans wanted him to talk or threaten Talia into giving up and Dylan into not lifting a finger to come between the conflict. Even if he rallied up all the New Commonwealth supporters it wouldn't be enough. The worlds they had signed weren't military worlds. They had never been in a straight up battle before.

What the hell was Oedekirk thinking?

Not only was her idiot mother butting her way, however unintentionally, Beka sneered, but to put all their hopes on one man?

What kind of trash rumours were people spreading about Andromeda? They weren't invincible. Dylan wasn't a god.

She was so caught up in her raging thoughts that she didn't even notice running into the Magog priest until she crashed into him.

"Ah, Rev, sorry," she said apologetically.

"Do you have somewhere urgent you need to be, Beka?"

"I-I just...it's..."

"A disagreement of sorts with Telemachus?"

"What? No. Just...something he said, someone who's coming."

It was amazing at how much Rev's presence always seemed to calm her. It was a strange reaction to have towards a Magog, but his warm blue eyes always held a patience and understanding in them. She knew he had always been like that, but sometimes it felt like it was just for her. He was her personal savior in some ways. A moral compass for sure.

He was the one person she could truly talk to without feeling judged.

"Hmmm...walk with me," a clawed hand descended on her arm as they fell into step beside each other. "Just to walk, I know from experience you won't tell me what's bothering you if you don't want to, but I am always here for guidance if you see a need for it."

Beka laughed. "I know Rev. You've always been there when everyone else hasn't been. It's just...recently, with everything. It all seems to be crashing down on me again. First Rafe, and then this morning I got a letter from my dad, who wants to drop by for a visit any old day, and on top of that..."

"Telemachus?"

"My mother."

"Why don't we continue this in my quarters?"

Rev Bem knew that Beka's mother had always been a sore spot for her. She didn't talk about it much, but she had confided in him her fear of turning into her and what it would mean for Emily. Her own experiences with motherhood had given Beka a new bitterness for the woman. She loved Emily with every fibre of her soul, and that love gave her a new hatred for Talia and all she had done.

Beka would do anything for her family and couldn't understand what made her mother abandon hers. There were no answers, only questions.  
Upon reaching Rev's rooms, modelled after the Wayist Temples, private mode was engaged as they sat on the cushions in front of the make-shift alter. Rev lit a few of the candles and waited patiently for Beka to continue if she was up to it.

"She's coming here. On an envoy. The great Senator herself. Telemachus received a letter from one of his friends in the fleet. They're attacking her home world and they want Dylan to stop the Drago-Kazov."

Beka let out a hysterical laugh as tears clouded her eyes. "I can't do this."

"The Divine offers us strength in times of great suffering," said Rev. "If she does arrive, have you considered leaving on the Maru until the situation is resolved?"

"And how long would that take? I have duties as First Officer, and I have duties to my daughter if something goes wrong. I don't know what to do."

Rev took Beka's hands in his own.

"We'll discover it together."

* * *

"Hey, has anyone noticed Beka being more moody than usual lately?" Harper quipped as he tapped at the screens in front of him.

"Everyone has their ups and downs sometimes, is Beka not allowed too?"

"Well okay, I guess she is, but it's more than the usual Trance, I mean really I can tell, I have a sixth scent when it comes to women. And something is definitely up."

"Maybe she's upset that Rafe left?"

"Yeah maybe, but she was kinda snappy wasn't she? I don't like it when she's snappy."

Dylan repressed a sigh as he exchanged a look with Andromeda. If Beka had been in a bad mood before, he was sure that he had made her day worse with his "inquiries". He just wanted to get the facts, hear her side of what happened. Rafe had handed him with some pretty heavy accusations and he wanted his crew safe.

But his Commonwealth questioning methods rubbed her more than the wrong way.

Oh, had she been mad and with a temper like that, Dylan would be scared to let Telemachus and Tyr even near her, for their safety, not hers.

A while after Beka's abrupt departure, Holo-Rommie had appeared back in his office and relayed everything back to him. Including Beka's explanation with Rafe, as the blonde had given Andromeda her consent to show it to her "precious Captain".

It left Dylan feeling like an ass. He could only imagine how hard it must have been for her.

And Telemachus, he was just different, and despite his upbringing...he reminded Dylan too much of Gaheris.

In Dylan's time Nietzschean-human marriages had been rare but accepted. In this new world he found himself in however, the Nietzscheans were more feared than revered for their strengths and talents.

Warrior poets turned intergalactic bullies and murderers. Oh, would their ancestors roll in their graves if they saw how much damage their rebellion had done to their people; poetic justice really, but at a cost much too high.

He wouldn't try to pry into Beka's life anymore. But there would always be instances that he would have to get involved in. He was her Captain, and he felt concern for all of his crewmembers. If there was something they couldn't handle, we wanted to be able to help.

It would probably be a sign of good faith if he offered Beka an apology for the way he approached the subject. Having the First Officer angry him wouldn't hold well for anyone.

The mission depended on them being able to get along with each other. It was one of the bases of his new charter, and if one crew couldn't get along, how could the universe?

* * *


	8. Piper Maru

" _The road of life can only reveal itself as it is traveled; each turn in the road reveals a surprise. Man's future is hidden._ _"  
-Unknown_

Trance Gemini hummed quietly to herself as she traversed Andromeda's corridors. The Hymn to Helios was an ancient canticle passed on by her people when they were born. They came into the universe hearing the melodies echoing between each star. Worship was heralded on the old worlds by the beings that inhabited them, where they were left to thrive for untold millennia.

It was for their power and their sight that they were worshipped.

Possibilities were endless. As far as she could see.

Trance used to see realities once vastly different than this one. She had seen worlds where Dylan was never trapped in the event horizon, long dead to be of any help three hundred years after The Fall. She used to see worlds where Gaheris Rhade had taken the helm, but for all of his hopes – he failed.

In this universe now, she had once seen a universe where Tarazed still stood. But with that possibility long gone, all she had was the new present's future.

She knew they were coming. And she could see how much of it would affect Beka. She could already see it affecting her. Harper had noticed, and she was sure everyone else had noticed, even if they didn't realize. In every reality Trance had watched, all things seemed to revolve around the youngest Valentine.

A central spiral. All connected.

Many trials were coming; long after Oedekirk. But those possibilities were much further away.

First distractions were nearest for a reason. Would this make them stronger? Would the future solidify a bond between the Andromeda and Maru crew? They were still learning each other's movements, even after all this time.

But the realizations to come…of friends and family…what would it mean for all of them?

Blood is thicker than water. It was one Nietzschean philosophy that Trance was glad of.

Turning her thoughts from piecing together the future, she stopped humming as Dylan came into view down the hall from her. She knew where he was going, but Beka needed more time to process and she would not be receptive to a well-meant apology if she was still angry or distracted.

"Dylan!"

Trance took his stop and pivot to her voice as a sign and bounced over to him, distracting him with her talk of a new offshoot of plant she had just tendered. It would take part of his mind momentarily off of Beka and let her gather herself before the next confrontation. If there was anything Dylan was to Trance it was polite, and no matter how much he had to see Beka he would never brush her off. If he and Beka could start getting along without butting heads all the time, everything would start to right itself once again.

* * *

"You are looking right as rain Rom-Doll, just a few more little adjustments…and there! Presto! You are perfect."

Finishing his maintenance on one of Andromeda's command consoles, Harper put the tools back on his overly cluttered tool belt. Organized chaos, as he liked to call it, sort of like his work benches. And working on Andromeda was something he could do. What ever was bothering Beka would come full circle sooner or later, it always did, and if she wanted his help, she would find him. Until then, Rommie needed him.

"Very nice Harper," she said, watching him replace her console covering and stand up.

"Nice? Baby, that is more than nice. Who treats you like I do?"

Andromeda smiled placatingly.

"Exactly. I even built you your very own avatar too."

"And it's very nice Harper."

They both turned as the avatar in question walked into Command.

Her android body was a dream come true for Harper. As soon as he had those blue prints in hand he knew that he had to start on her as soon as possible.

Andromeda was beautiful. And now she had a physical representation, another extension of a glorious warship. Her 3D holographic projection was something, but having Rommie tangible? He had worked his fingers to the bone making her perfect. Nothing else would do for her.

But just once he wished that she would look at him like she looked at Dylan.

It figured he'd fall in love with a ship.

Rommie, Holo-Rommie, and Andromeda watched him from all three sides. Different but one in the very same. The Core and her Avatars.

Perfect.

* * *

"What am I going to do with them Trance?"

"Would it help if I told you I saw it?"

"Saw what?"

"Them. Beka and Telemachus."

"In your probabilities?" he asked.

Trance nodded. "Believe it or not Dylan, every chance they have together brings a brighter outlook on the future. I don't know what will happen far from now, but I see change. And for them, I believe it's for the better. The future reveals."

"Reveals what?"

"That would be telling." She smiled. Her eyes danced as Dylan smiled back at her in that way of his. That way that indicated that he suspected she knew more than what she was telling, but he was going to trust her with it. Someday she wanted to tell him, and one day she just might. But right now he needed to find his own way, as much as he was able. And if her hands directed him gently in a certain direction then she'd just look at him innocently and smile.

The sun of Tarn Vedra had always shone on Dylan Hunt.

And she would continue to do so.

But speaking of possibilities…

The entered the Command Deck just in time for Rommie's message.

"Dylan, there's ship en route and it's hailing us."

It began.

* * *

Rev Bem was meditating when the chime to his quarters rang.

"Enter," he called.

The door hissed open softly, and Rev could feel a presence leaning in the doorway watching.

"You disgust me."

"Do I hear a 'but' coming?"

"Unfortunately."

Rev smiled.

The relationship between Rev Bem and Telemachus was always been an odd one. While the Nietzschean always had a deep-seated loathing for the Magog, he had tolerated Rev for Beka's sake. He would never like his species, they would never have anything but his gauss gun aimed directly at them, but he tolerated one…anomaly…for Beka.

A Wayist Magog dedicated to peace. Could anything be stranger?

But he was Beka's…friend. She trusted him with her life, with Emily's life, with her crew's life. They had been crew together for longer than Telemachus was with them, and Rev had never been anything other than calm and respectful, with a wry wit coming out at certain moments.

It was disconcerting.

But Beka trusted him, and her scent had led him here.

She was always telling him what a good listener Rev could be, and whenever she needed to talk to someone, he had the best advice. He had kept her on the right path, and guided her as much as he could.

"Beka was here." It wasn't a question.

"Mmm, you just missed her."

Telemachus growled and made to leave before turning to face the Magog again.

"Has she told you anything?"

… _good listener Rev could be…_

"About?"

Stepping fully into the room, the doors slid shut behind him.

"About what's going on in her head."

"Has she not talked with you about it?"

Telemachus growled again and started pacing.

"She was saying something about Dylan, I was saying something about the mail I received, and then she bolted. I've been trying to find her since then."

Rev nodded. Beka had told him about it, and it was in confidence. If she wanted Telemachus to know about Talia then she would tell him. It wasn't Rev's place to.

"My suggestion would be to find her and ask her."

"I've been trying," he sneered impatiently.

"It is not my place to talk about things Beka keeps most hidden, if she wants you to know she will tell you. It is my thoughts though that everyone will find out sooner or later."

" _What_?"

"I believe she was going back to the Maru."

The Nietzschean ran a frustrated hand over his face and walked to the door.

"You're an odd one Magog."

"I am not the only one."

* * *

Beka moaned and she dragged herself through the Maru. Rev could only help so much this time, and she knew that she had a lot to deal with in a short amount of time. Hearing about Talia's imminent arrival was bad enough, but _facing_ her? Hearing about it was already bringing back memories she didn't want, even if she had been six when her mother had gone, she still remembered the fights. Her mother and father shouting at each other from across both ends of the Maru, the cold silences and shrewd looks over breakfast and dinner, the longer and longer stays off the Maru when they were actually docked in port.

Was it her father's Flash addiction that made her leave? Was he even using then? Was it the debts? The always low running funds? The get-rich-quick schemes?

Why did she leave them?

Why did Talia leave her and Rafe?

This wasn't going to end well. She could already feel it.

Beka sighed and stiffened when she heard a dull clink.

"Em?" she called.

Moving forward into the ship, she followed where she thought the sound had originated. Telemachus was quieter than that but he had started making sound to let her know he was around. Emily on the other hand had taken to sneaking around as silently as her father, most sounds were by accident and often followed by an expletive.

"Hello?" If anyone was there they would have shown themselves by now. Better to announce themselves than get their heads blown off when Beka went about protecting her 'baby'.

Beka shook her head. The _Maru_ was noisy, always had been and always would be. It was probably just a loose bolt that Harper would have to find and fix.

Giving herself a mental lecture about paranoia, she headed to the cockpit and her CD collection. Music had always been one of her escapes and she needed to listen to something now more than ever. How much it would calm her down she wouldn't know. Maybe not much, but it was worth a try.

The cockpit doors slid open as she neared, entering she went straight to her CD box.

It was only a clearing throat that made her look up and nearly drop the case in shock.

"D-Dad?" she said incredulously.

Ignatius Valentine smiled at his daughter. "Hello Rocket."

* * *


	9. Ignatius

_"A thing long expected takes the form of the unexpected when at last it comes."_ _  
-_ _Mark Twain, Ancient Earth_

Telemachus couldn't decide whether it was on purpose or just completely random that Beka doubled back the way she came to throw him off her scent.

He supposed it was random. Since the corridors from Rev Bem's quarters and then subsequently to the Maru's hangar deck were shorter if one did double back.

It still got to him though, that he'd been thrown off; especially when it forced him to admit he wasn't paying nearly enough attention to his surroundings. Beka's moods had him off kilter, and he just wanted to fix it. She affected him more when she was out of it, and it was still something he was trying to understand. But she had been off her normal moods - her normal snap and growl, to one of panicked paranoia almost…

Telemachus growled.

He knew he wasn't the easiest to talk to, and before now he hadn't cared or even thought about it, but Beka's attitude and personality had gotten weird after her brother departed, and then even stranger after that.

Telemachus considered slamming his head against the bulkhead for thinking of just asking her what was wrong...and then lying on her until she told him.

He growled again and shoved a hand through his hair. He was actually worried. He'd never had anyone to worry over before. But his – _his what?_

He was really starting to lose himself. Had been for years. And everything came back to Beka.

It had something to do with Oedekirk and it had something to do with Rafe. He wasn't an idiot, and he knew her. He had watched her every day for the past two years. He knew every movement, every twitch, every expression. He could see her grow pale or flushed, no matter how little; he could hear her heartbeat speed up and her pulse race. He knew when something was wrong.

Her jitteriness had started with Rafe, her avoidance freak-out started after he mentioned a planet being attacked.

His brow lifted as he finally noticed the small form walking to his right. Well, small to him. Reaching out, he tugged Emily's braid, which earned him a look as they walked. It seemed to be habit with them, something they did. Every time she'd find him, they'd fall into step beside each other, and when he finally saw her there he'd pull her hair lightly if it was up.

His daughter.

She was tall for nine, at least by human standards. It was interesting to watch her, the combination of human and Nietzschean. His child. The child he claimed.

He'd never forget spending eight years haunted by her mother's red hair, every mission, every detainment; he'd had to check. And then the strangest of coincidences brought them back together again, with a daughter he never knew. The last year and a half with Beka and Emily he wouldn't give up for anything. Taking off from the Pride had felt…right, and it should have disturbed him. Should have, but didn't.

Telemachus shook his head. He wasn't going to look at that too closely, he had Beka to focus on now.

"Mom's weird."

"I know."

"For a while now."

"I've noticed."

"Good." Emily looked at him. "Do you know why?"

"No," her father grunted. "But we're going to find out."

Emily smiled. At least she had _one_ person that didn't treat her like a child.

* * *

" _I hate that I couldn't get away Iggy, I would have loved to see Beky again_. _Next time you decide to make an impromptu visit send me a little warning? I'd get Neil to watch the shops but you know how he is about asking ahead. When you see her, tell Beka to come visit us more often, she and Emily haven't been home in a long time now and it'd be nice to have the family together. Have you heard from Rafe yet? You should see if Beka has. I'll be waiting your reply, I love you Ig._ "

Ignatius smiled as he watched the message from the _Piper Maru's_ viewscreen. He had been meaning to visit Beka for the longest time and when the opportunity presented itself, he had to go. He knew it was quick, and he knew it was spontaneous, but he also knew that Jenna would understand and probably not be able to get away from the shop anyway.

He loved that about his wife. She was the mother his children never had, and understood his need to check up on them from time to time. And if he were offworld when the opportunity presented itself, Jenna would wish him well and tell him to send her love to the kids.

He was a still a few light minutes away from the legendary _Andromeda_. How his Booster Rocket got herself into this one…well, it was a crazy story he had to say.

Clicking on the reply comm., he opened a return message.

"Hey Jenna, I'm almost there and I'll tell Beka you say 'hi'. You know I wish you were here, and I will definitely be telling our daughter to make her way home sometime. Hell, the whole crew would be welcomed to Infinity Atoll for a little vacation wouldn't they? From what we've heard they deserve it. I wonder how Emmy's handling it. Knowing her though, probably loving every minute am I right? I'll talk to you later. Love you."

Hitting the send, Ignatius opened a comm. to the Andromeda. He grinned at the voice that answered and the face on screen.

* * *

Seamus Harper willingly and happily gave Ignatius clearance to land in the hangar deck. Andromeda had oh so helpfully alerted Dylan to the arrival and he and Trance were going to meet him.

He hadn't seen Boss Senior in a while, and who wouldn't love the guy? Whenever Beka let him get away for a while her family was more than happy to put up with an Earth kid in their paradise of a home planet. He loved Infinity. He should probably retire to Infinity. Set up house right next to the Valentines and help Ma Valentine out with whatever she needed, and he would do so happily, incredibly happily.

"So…that was Beka's father?"

Harper came out of his thoughts and turned his attention to Rommie.

"The one and only."

"Rafe definitely looks like him."

"Yeah, though I hope this visit goes more smoothly than that one did, you never know what…" Harper stopped.

Rafe had stormed off. Without so much as a good-bye to anyone…why would he have…

Oh.

 _Oh._

Bad. So bad, this was very bad. Could get so incredibly bad.

If Rafe had found out about Emily and Telemachus…

And wasn't that just the kicker that it finally made complete sense. And any situation involving Beka's family and the father of her child could become a battleground. Ignatius would shoot Telemachus dead in a heartbeat, regardless of how much Beka tried to explain it.

Huh, and since when did Harper care that there might be one less Nietzschean in the world? But that was the thing. Telemachus wasn't a typical Nietzschean, the almost two years serving with the bastard had shown Harper that, and well…he might maybe miss the guy. How often did a tiny little kludge get to insult a Drago-Kazov uber-slime without any fear of repercussion what-so-ever? They had an…understanding.

Telemachus was the first Nietzschean Harper didn't have to fear. And who would have thought that between Beka and Telemachus, Beka would be the scarier one?

He had to warn Beka her dad was on the way.

"I have to see Beka."

"Harper why…"

"Later Rom-doll!" He left his post and went running out of Command, full tilt towards the _Eureka Maru_.

Rommie sighed.

"Why don't you just comm. her?" she said to empty air.

* * *

"So this, is Captain Dylan Hunt."

"In the flesh Captain Valentine."

Dylan shook hands with the man. So this was Beka's father. Who according to sources raised her and Rafe single-handedly and taught his daughter to be the best damned pilot in the Known Worlds.

He was just about to say something else when Trance threw herself into Ignatius's arms. Dylan watched confusion as the older man's face broke into a wide smile as he picked Trance up and spun her around, before setting her back on her feet.

"Trance Gemini, you darling girl, you haven't aged!"

"You…know Trance?"

Trance turned to look at Dylan. "Oh, I didn't tell you!"

"I met Trance a long time ago," said Ignatius. "Miracle she showed up when she did."

"Dylan, I was there when Beka gave birth to Emily."

"She delivered my granddaughter."

Dylan was done. It was impossible. He would never, ever, if he lived forever figure out the woman that was Trance Gemini. She had been Beka's midwife?

"He's speechless. It's good to see you Trance."

"And you too. Emily's grown so much since Beka let me stay on the _Maru_. And she's still growing."

"I can't wait to see her. Captain Hunt? Where exactly would I find my daughter?"

It was strange being greeted so pleasantly when Dylan was still at odds with Beka herself. They still hadn't managed to get back on good terms, and he was still trying to apologise. Rafe's accusations and Beka's recriminations…

He held back a sigh as he let Ignatius know where the Maru was located, Andromeda having confirmed Beka moving towards its location. Dylan really needed to talk to her, and unfortunately it would have to be done later…and then they'd have to find out how exactly they were going to prevent another Rafe-Telemachus catastrophe from happening.

* * *

The Maru hasn't changed much, thought Ignatius. It was still a rickety old rust bucket, held together by the sheer will that was Seamus Harper, but it was home. And it was nice to see the old girl still in one piece.

The copper hues, the metallic clang as his boots hit the grating, the loud hissing, and portals of steam that danced around the main walkway.

He let himself into the cockpit and ran his hands over the back of the flight chair. He had built this ship, built it up with his own two hands long before Sid had gone his own way, and the regrets rained down on Ignatius. This was his ship; his creation, his conception. It was probably why he got along so well with Harper; they were both engineers, though Harper had such a talent, such a strength and passion for it that always amazed him. How a kid from Earth could do so much…it was impressive.

He didn't have to wait long for Beka. He could hear her ringing footsteps echoing throughout the ship as she neared.

The cockpit doors slid open as she went straight to her CD box.

He cleared his throat and watched her nearly drop the case in shock.

"D-Dad?" she said incredulously.

Ignatius Valentine smiled at his daughter. "Hello Rocket."

He grinned at the look on her face. He definitely shocked her with his being here, and he always did like to surprise his children when he could.

"Looks like you've seen a ghost."

"Uhhh…you're here. Now."

"I believe I mentioned I'd show up sometime. Did you get my letter?"

Oh she did. Beka inwardly sighed. Only she could have this type of luck, and she probably should have expected this to happen. Well, she pretty much _did_ expect it to happen, but it was still a shock to her system that it actually happened. Trust the Divine to screw with her when she begged it not to let her father show up so soon after Rafe.

But all in all, despite everything she was going through, how she didn't want him here when Talia and Telemachus were so close, how having almost her entire family in one spot was sure to end in disaster…it was good to see him.

Moving closer they both met in the middle, and Ignatius wrapped his daughter in a solid hug that she returned gratefully. She had been through so much with her father, he was the one who had always been there for her, despite his faults. He hadn't abandoned her.

"Jen says 'hi'."

"I know. Mom wants me to visit right?"

"Always."

They pulled away and started to make their way back through the _Maru_ to its commissary area.

"Its good to see the old girl again, Harper's been keeping her up?"

"Yeah, when he's not worshipping at _Andromeda_ 's feet."

Ignatius laughed. Andromeda was indeed amazing and with systems like she probably had, he wouldn't put it passed Harper to try and learn everything about her. Hell, he was curious himself.

"How's the _Piper_ _Maru_ holding up?"

"Beautifully. And speaking of siblings, have you seen your brother at all?"

"Rafe? Oh, ummm…"

Beka watched her father pick up on her moment's hesitation.

"He's conning again isn't he?" He shook his head in frustration. It was his own fault, what Rafe started with his life. He knew it was. He was responsible for his children and he raised a con artist for a son. Ignatius had hoped he quit…

"Dad, he…"

"GRANDPA!"

Emily's happy shout echoed through the _Maru_ as she threw herself at her grandfather. She had grown tall; the top of her head was equal with his chest as he hugged her.

Beka let out a relieved breath as she watched her daughter dominate all conversation with her grandfather, leaving Beka happily ignored for the moment.

How often had Emily saved her from awkward conversation? She had lost count and she didn't care. The girl, whether she meant to or not, was a lifesaver time and time again. There couldn't be a more perfect sense of timing than Emily had.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she quickly looked around the commissary finding the source nothing more than a discreet shadow around the doorway. Another sigh of relief escaped her and she gave thanks to the Divine that Telemachus's Nietzschean suspicion hadn't failed her yet.

He kept out of sight, ears open just in case she needed him.

* * *

At Emily's screech, Telemachus had ducked out of sight, shaking his head to clear his ringing ears. His daughter had a voice on her.

 _Grandpa._

In the shadows was where he needed to be, at least for now with this new unknown element entering the mix. No one would know he was there, given his size he was amazingly silent when need be.

Turning quietly he edged his vision to the sigh before him.

So that was Beka's father. The tall, dark haired man completely engrossed with his grandchild, listening to her intently and focussed.

His attention turned to Beka. She was nervous; her stance, and the tenseness he could see in her, and the rapid tempo of her heartbeat that gave everything away. She looked in his direction and he nodded his head, indicating that he was leaving.

He left as silently as he came.

* * *

  
 _Andromeda_ was a huge ship, and all the short cuts and breathers in the world couldn't get Harper to the _Maru_ quick enough for his liking. He had to find Beka and Thickhead before Ignatius did.

Rounding a corner, Harper found himself sprawled on the floor after hitting a particularly hard wall. Groaning and reclaiming his bearings, he realized that it wasn't a wall.

"Thickhead!" He rasped happily.

"I'm tempted to hit you." Telemachus reached down and pulled Harper back onto his feet, swerving him non-too-gently against Andromeda's bulkhead as the smaller human swayed dizzily.

"Yeah, whatever. Like you would. I was looking for you."

"For what?"

"Beka's dad. He's here. Tell me he didn't see you."

"He didn't. I saw him though."

"Great. Oh man…" Harper bent at the waist and took in more air.

"Were you running?"

"Yep."

"I'd suggest a light jog instead."

"Look he can't see you, not after Beka's brother. I figured it out."

Telemachus raised an eyebrow as Harper looked up at him.

"I think that's why Rafe left," he said. "He knew. About you and Emily."

* * *

  



	10. Hiding

_I want you to know that I am hiding something from you, that is the active paradox I must resolve: at one and the same time it must be known and not known_

 _-Roland Barthes, Ancient Earth_

Telemachus sighed and looked at Harper. The human was out of breath and still leaning against Andromeda's bulkhead where he had shoved him. It was a bit odd and unusual his relationship with Harper, the earth human had every right to be terrified of him but they spent most of their time arguing back and forth, light barbs traded here and there. It probably had something to do with their first meeting; Telemachus had been the first Nietzschean to ever show Harper respect, the human had been gob-smacked, and that had been the start of the transition. But even at their first meeting, Harper had run his mouth off; it was who he was, and over years Telemachus continued to be impressed.

"I know."

"What? You know? What do you mean you know?"

"Beka _did_ tell me why her brother left," he said. "And what she let them think happened."

Harper winced. "I, uh, I'm sorry about that. You know you're a, not all that bad considering."

Telmachus smirked and clapped Harper on the shoulder, nearly sending him sprawling on the floor. "Careful. That was almost a compliment."

"No! No it wasn't."

"I didn't know you cared."

"Hey all I'm saying is that Beka has the worst taste in men, and don't roll your eyes, okay? You didn't meet the bastard she was with before. And I didn't ever think I'd like a Nietzschean better than a human. You could have been just like the rest of your pride, but somehow you're really not. You notice that right?"

Telemachus glared. He wasn't going to bother asking himself if it was that obvious because it _was_ obvious. He was different and ever now and then if he thought about it long enough, it bothered him that he didn't _fit_. And accepting that fact because it gave him Beka and Emily only cemented it even more. That he cared more about his half-breed daughter and the kludge that spawned her than his Pride made the unease he had been repressing try and break through the surface.

"…yeah well, I just don't want to see your head blown off," Harper was saying. "For Beka and Emily's sake, of course."

"Of course."

"Right so…man, this sucks."

"I can't stay out of the way forever, and he's going to be here a while. I have a feeling."

"And Tyr. Ignatius is going to have to deal with _two_ Nietzscheans _and_ your issues with each other… Hey, maybe you can pretend to be like, a Jaguar or something?"

Telemachus made a face. "That's just insulting."

"Oh come on. Nietzschean is one thing, Drago-Kazov is another thing, Drago-Kazov Niezschean who just happens to be his granddaughter's father that's just…an ironic fluke is what it is, and let me tell you…"

"Harper. No matter what sort of crazy ideas are running through your head, you know Tyr is just going to open his mouth sooner or later."

"Yeah…there is always that," Harper sighed. "This is all screwed up."

Things had been said and things had been done, but in the end it was all just going to come out anyway. There was going to be a lot of explaining on Beka's side. Obviously Rafe hadn't taken the truth well, but who would? Given what he knew about his people, he couldn't blame Beka's family for assuming the worst. If he'd been in their position he might have thought the exact same thing.

It would all come out in the open eventually.

* * *

The _Maru_ was old, she'd never thought otherwise. Even when Sid and her father had first built it, it had never looked new. It was old junkers and cable wiring, scrapped metal plating and siphoned ducts. It was misty from open steam valves, valves which had to remain open in order to keep the pressure down. Sometimes they leaked; the steam turning to water and dripping off pipes into the corridors. The doors hissed open and closed, her feet always echoed on the decks, it may have been called shoddy and strewn together – but it was home.

And even if the _Maru_ 's shower wasn't the greatest it still felt like home. Somewhere she belonged. And standing underneath the hot spray of the shower felt like bliss.

Beka ran her hands through her wet hair, rinsing the shampoo off and watching it run down the drain. Showers were supposed to be relaxing, and even though she was more relaxed now than she was before, the knots in her shoulders still would not budge.

She was beyond thankful when Emily pulled and tugged at her grandfather, intent on taking him to the hydroponics bay on _Andromeda_. She wanted him to see her own little section, the garden Trance had been helping her to cultivate. At his granddaughter's enthusiastic insistence, Ignatius had gone with her, promising Beka he'd be back later, so they could talk about everything that had been happening. She inwardly cringed. There was so much she wanted to talk to him about, and yet so much she couldn't. She didn't want another family member to walk away from her.

Watching Talia decide to up and leave had been painful. It had hurt. To know that her mother wanted nothing to do with her, that Talia didn't want her anymore. How could the woman have been so cold? Beka knew that the only thing that could keep herself away from her own child would be death itself. And she wasn't planning on that route for a very, very long time. Not until her grandkids had grandkids. At least she could hope.

And Rafe. Rafe had come and gone over the years; being there for her at one point, and then taking off at the next. And now…now she didn't know if he'd ever come back. Would she see him on and off again like dad, some point in the future? Or had he completely left her like Talia had? Rafe had asked her to go with him though, get away from the Andromeda, from Telemachus…so maybe some day, there might be hope.

But her father. What would her father say? What would he _do_? Well she could guess, and once again, just like with Rafe, she could imagine Telemachus with his head shot off. Brain and blood spattering on the wall behind him.

Things had gotten so fucked up. Fears and half truths rose up to choke her even before Emily was more than a tiny clump of cells dividing inside of her.

Hell, if the twice damned Dragans hadn't attacked Avilan in the first place, the only clue to who Emily's father had been would have been the immature boneblades Emily had been born with.

 _If_ it had been the first time with Telemachus that had gotten Beka pregnant.

She let out a sigh, closing her eyes she tilted her head back and let the hot water fall down all around her. It was a fine mess she was in, and it was coming back to bite her in the ass. She had been angry and reckless, and then everything happened too fast, too soon, conclusions drawn that she hadn't argued with, was too scared to.

And now…

She huffed out a laugh when she heard the door to the bathroom slide open, hard footfalls stopping in front of her shower, Telemachus ripping the curtain away, already stripped and bare.

"Someone's confident."

"I have to be."

Stepping into the shower, he crowded Beka against him and pulled her to his chest. Hands wandered up and down her wet back.

"Harper found out why your brother left."

Beka groaned. "That's just what I need."

She sighed as Telemachus's hands came up to frame her face. She leaned into his palm and ran her hand down his arm.

His forearms were bare. That took Beka's attention away, as she raised her hand back up to run her fingers over the soft skin surrounding his boneblades. He was sensitive there, the blades were interesting, fascinating almost, the way they came up straight out of the skin and arm, how they moved and twitched. Emily's were far from a matured set.

A soft tug on her hair had her shaking her head. Blonde strands shifted back to red. Telemachus pulled her closer and crushed his lips to hers; she let her thoughts melt away.

* * *

"And these are Hydrangea Glories."

Ignatius crouched down on his knees to inspect the flowers Emily happily showed him. They were about three feet in height and varying shades of purple and green. Buds and fledgling leaves of the flowers planted right next to them. Some were even starting to climb up the bulkhead they were situated against, like creeping vines almost; a small flower blossom blooming here and there along the tangled green foliage.

"They're real pretty."

Emily nodded. "Trance picked them up just for me. She said she likes the purple."

Ignatius smiled. Of course she would. A purple flower from a purple skinned woman; he'd never met anyone like her. But whatever species she was, and wherever she came from, Trance had shown up when they needed her most. And now here she was again, watching out for Beka and Emily. He didn't know why that thought comforted him, given how young Trance looked, how young she _still_ looked. She hadn't changed at all in the last decade, he'd meant that when he said it to her. A strange girl, but a welcome oddity all the same, he had the feeling things would be much different without her.

"…and it's really growing."

"What is?"

Emily gave him a look. And stars, did he recognize that look. It was the same one Beka always wore when she knew he wasn't listening to her.

"Trance's bonsai tree. She dotes on it the most, and it's looking real pretty."

"Whatever she touches seems to blossom doesn't it?"

Looking around the hydroponics bay, it looked to be true. Everything was in full bloom, vibrant, and _alive_. He knew ships could keep good plants with the artificial lights, but living on Infinity he knew there was still no comparing it to natural sunlight. But the fauna around him, it was really something to see. Jenna would have loved it.

He really had to convince Beka to take a trip home one of these days. Have a rest, some vacation time. He'd heard rumours about Captain Hunt's crusade to bring the Commonwealth back to life, but to reshape an entire galaxy's foundations… There would be resistance and with resistance came danger. But salvaging wasn't 100 safe either, nothing was. And this ship looked like it could stand a lot of damage. But there were rumours, always rumours that the Drago-Kazov had ships that could rival something like _Andromeda_.

He shuddered, thankful Emily's back was to him as she explained all about a Narceptia Botannica…or something.

All he had were rumours. He didn't want any more run-ins with Nietzscheans; one fear filled, disastrous day was enough. He couldn't do that again. Just letting Beka start doing salvage runs again had been one of the most trying times in his life. Rafe had been with her then, she'd had a good crew, and she was in love with space. To be a pilot was in her blood, hell it was in his too. It was why he built the _Piper_.

"Grandpa?"

"You were talking about that um…" He indicated to the large stocky plant they had walked over to. Emily smiled and turned back to point out its more interesting features.

The light glinted off of something metal.

Ignatius blinked. "Is that a new bracelet?"

Emily looked down at her wrist where her grandfather was watching, and pulled back the slit in her jacket.

"No, they're bracers," she said. "They're really comfortable. Not so sensitive anymore." Emily smiled brightly, tapping the solid metal that covered the skin between her boneblades and gave a comfortable balance to the bony protrusions.

"They're…they're nice."

And they were. The bracers looked pure. Silver and decorative…like jewellery. Ignatius knew enough about trade to know that Nietzschean bracers weren't just sold anywhere. Or sold _at all_. One couldn't get them anywhere; and these were specific enough to fit Emily's wrists, maybe hand made?

When she had been growing up, and her bone blades started to grow as well, Emily had taken to wrapping her wrists in cloth bindings. The skin around her blades was sensitive enough to warrant some sort of guard around them… And now she had what looked like appropriate bracers made for Nietzscheans. Where they hell could Beka have gotten those for her?

Emily tugged at his wrist to lead him across the hydroponics bay, undoubtedly there was something else he needed to see. But curiosity was something that never let go. He wasn't going to ask Emily, she didn't need any of his baggage to worry about, and he knew she would worry. It was something he was going to have to talk to his daughter about, and he had an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach that a lot had happened since they'd last seen each other.

* * *


	11. Arrival

" _Our thinking and our behaviour are always in anticipation of a response. It is therefore fear-based._ _"  
-_ _Deepak Chopra,_ _ayurvedic author, Ancient Earth_

 _  
_

* * *

Emily had always been honest with him, and by the Divine he had to know what she thought. He wanted to know about her bracers from Beka but… _Divine_. This was something else he needed to hear from Emily.

After coming out of the Hydroponics bay, he had been quickly introduced to Tyr. That had been a shock to his system. Not only that but the… _Nietzschean_. Nietzschean on _Hunt's crew_ had been…training _Trance_ in self-defense? That bubbly innocent girl, who he couldn't help but trust introduced them when their paths crossed. The Niet… _Tyr_ …had only nodded, and raised a brow when Trance mentioned Ignatius was Beka's father. He didn't know what that was about.

Afterwards, he didn't want anymore surprises and had quickly checked Hunt crew roster as Emily was distracted in explaining some mechanical things Harper had taught her. He knew Emily had probably picked up on his increased heart rate, maybe even a rise in temperature, he didn't know, but he definitely had to have a talk with his daughter.

How could she serve on a crew with _two_ Nietzscheans? Stars help him there were _two_. And he still had yet to meet the second. _Why hadn't Beka mentioned this?_

"Em…how…what do you think about having two Nietzscheans on board?" It had to be different for her, she was _half_ anyway. He swallowed a shudder, blocking the memories out.

"Um…well, Tyr's weird. Kinda mean, but you never know when he means it. He just stares all the time."

"I noticed that too."

Emily nodded. "He doesn't like…um…"

"The other one?"

"His name is _Telemachus_ ," said Emily. Ignatius noticed a pointed look. "And they don't get along. I think it has something to do with being from different Prides."

"Which pr-"

"They were a present," said Emily interrupting him.

"What?"

"My bracers." She held her arm up. "He brought them back for me."

 _Which?_

"Telemachus?" He guessed.

"Mmhmmm." Emily nodded. "I know you were probably wondering, since you can't find them anywhere. I looked. At every port, I tried to find something but never could. But now everything feels right and where it should be."

She smiled as she flexed her blades for her grandfather.

Emily was right. Ignatius had been curious about the bracers, and was going to ask Beka about them. But since his granddaughter had volunteered the information, his questions for his daughter shifted as well. Why would a Nietzschean do that for a half-breed? The other one, Tyr, hadn't seemed bothered by Emily's presence, though he hadn't acknowledged her any more than he had Ignatius. So what would…his curiosity wasn't going to end well.

"And what's he like? Since Tyr's the mean, weird one."

The strength of Emily's smile and the brightness in her eyes should have given him a warning.

* * *

"You're mother is the Senator of Oedekirk?"

"Don't remind me."

"You just told me."

"Doesn't mean I want to hear it repeated."

Telemachus tugged at Beka's waist until her back was pressed snug against his chest. He was getting angry. No, he was angry. With every confessed word Beka had spoken, the hard knot in his stomach kept intensifying. Kludge's like Beka's biological mother had no honour.

How could…how could she walk away from her family? How could Talia of Oedekirk leave her children? Her offspring, her future?

 _Abandon them._

Beka had been abandoned. As had her brother. And it made Telemachus angry. A Nietzschean's children meant everything. They were a symbol of immortality, of pride. They were loved. But he also knew that there were other half-breeds like Emily out there. Unclaimed, abandoned. Bastards. The Nietzscheans who committed such acts made him just as angry as Beka's mother.

No honour. No _pride_.

"She-"

"Is a bitch? Yeah. I've thought it for as long as I could understand why mommy never came home. Dad didn't erase the _Maru_ 's recordings of their last fight the day she jumped ship either. But um…I have Jenna, you know? And she's great," Beka continued at Telemachus's silence, his response coming only from the tensing in his body and his arm gripped tighter, more protectively, around her waist.

"I'm happy with Jenna. I love her. It feels like she's always been my mom. She was never just 'dad's new wife', she was always 'mom' to us. Me and Rafe. Always 'Grandma' to Emily. She accepted Emily. Pretty much without question, never said anything about the boneblades or treated us any different. She just loved us. I'm glad dad found her. And Infinity Atoll wasn't a bad place to finish growing up."

"But you missed space."

"Yeah. Like a limb. I was born ship-side. I could never settle on a planet. Infinity was beautiful, but I had to get back out here anyway."

"Would have had a lot more peace if you were still there."

"True." Beka turned in his arms until she was facing him. "But I wouldn't have met Dylan, or his crazy mission, and…I wouldn't have found you. Ever. And Emily would still be wondering. So would I."

"What abou-"

" _Beka?"_

Beka rolled on her back and addressed Andromeda's tinny voice through the _Maru_ 's speakers.

"Yeah, Rommie?"

" _I wanted to tell you than the carrier ship from Oedekirk has just docked with us. As first Officer, Dylan is requesting your presence to meet them."_

Beka shot straight up in bed. Her heart pounding.

"A-already?"

" _They apparently made good time. Dylan will brief you on the situation_."

The comm. cut off before Beka could form another reply.

"Oh God. I'm not ready for this."

"You'll be fine. You're stronger than she is."

"No one else knows. No one knows who she is. She's going to start something I know she is and…Dad! He's…he doesn't know…I haven't told him yet! They're going to kill each other!"

Telemachus reached out a hand to her but she dodged it, jumping out of bed, she hurriedly set to work on pulling her clothes and weapons on. This whole thing gave him a sinking feeling.

* * *

Dammit.

He just had to talk to Harper at this moment, didn't he? He could have stayed wandering the _Andromeda_ following Emily's leads, but he had a question for Harper. Emily had led him to the Command Deck before excusing herself to follow Trance out the door, promising to pick him up later to explore some more.

He should have just followed the girls.

Ignatius glared at _Andromeda_ 's main screens. This had to be one of the reasons Beka had been so twitchy as of late. At his arrival. But honestly, he would have thought she would have told him. A little more warning would have been nice, but as he took a deep breath and scraped a hand over his face, he thought about how this must be affecting his daughter. He couldn't believe she would deliberately keep something of this magnitude from him. She probably thought she had time to tell him, let him leave in the _Piper_ if he wanted.

Harper had commented about the small carrier ship making good time. Why the hell hadn't anyone bothered to tell him. Unless…it wouldn't surprise him actually, if nobody knew who was coming on board; Beka barely talked about her, and probably had never mentioned her to anyone on this crew. But a carrier ship bearing royal markings from Oedekirk, even if Andromeda hadn't mentioned the royal family on board along with the Senator, he would have known.

Talia.

Watching his ex-wife's ship dock with _Andromeda_ made him sick to his stomach. How they parted, how she left, his own guilt over the split. But the biggest issue that had widened the gap between them was how she had treated Beka and Rafe after the divorce. Ignatius knew his faults, his shortcomings, and he had worked hard on them over the years, was _still_ working on them, in order to become a better man for his son and daughter. Talia, on the other hand, treated her children like a burden. Rafe and Beka shouldn't have had to suffer her coldness, her indifference. Her absence.

She shouldn't have made them suffer in order to spite him.

Even after more than twenty years, he still couldn't understand her.

And if Beka hadn't told anyone on the crew, they were in for a surprise. Ignatius left the Command Deck in search of his daughter.


	12. Secrets

" _Secrets are made to be found out with time._ _"_

 _-Charles Sanford, Ancient Earth_

* * *

Ignatius's head hurt. He felt it starting at the base of his skull, and it now wrapped like a band around his temples. He'd handle it, though. A little tension headache he could deal with; hell, he'd experienced worse. But so much had happened within the last 48 hours that he wasn't entirely sure he wasn't just going lay down and let the universe have its way with him.

His mind reeled as he sat in the _Piper_ 's flight chair, following the _Eureka_ through slip stream. How they had come to this point was beyond him. He was exhausted, and didn't want to think of anything but the slip and pull of the distorted space in front of him. His head just might explode from the pressure.

When Talia had boarded the _Andromeda_ he had fully expected the worst from her, and sadly, he had been right. After she had left him and their children so long ago, all of his dealings with her had been the same, each and every one. Her aloofness and coldness, the complete disconnect that crowded their every communication. It was so clear after she left; a rift had spread between them while he hadn't been paying attention.

After all these years, Ignatius still didn't know why he expected any meeting of theirs to be different. He knew it would go badly.

And if that wasn't enough, it wasn't the only thing he was right about. Hunt and the others were surprised to discover who Beka's mother was. Hell, Ignatius himself hadn't expected Talia to go into politics of all things. But given her new attitude it seemed to suit her just fine.

Senator Ketessen.

He had wanted to be there for Beka. It was one of the things that kept him from avoiding Talia all together. Their meeting had been cold, but once they had run into each other alone, it became heated. The nerve of her. The sheer nerve of her talking about Emily, insulting her, insulting Beka, his parenting, _everything_ that she hadn't been around for. That…That…

 _Ice cold blue eyes met angry steel blue._

 _Ignatius glared at her. How dare she? She could have walked right on by, pretended she didn't even see him. But no, not Talia, she just had to say something. But no one,_ no one, _i_ _nsulted his granddaughter._

" _If it wasn't for Emily, I would still be on Flash, or maybe even dead by now. Doesn't matter to you though does it?" Ignatius demanded._

 _Talia cut him another glare, and sneered. "So you're saying it was a good thing then, that our daughter was whored to some Uber?"_

" _MY daughter. MINE, Talia. You gave up that right a long time ago. Jenna's a better mother to her that you ever were! And she's been in Beka's life longer than you have. There's more to being a mother than just giving birth!"_

" _Says the man who was flashed out of his mind twenty-four-seven."_

" _I changed, and unlike you it was for the better."_

 _Talia scoffed. "You'd have to, especially with that half- freak of a grandchild."_

" _You know nothing about Emily. She's not your family. And neither is Beka."_

He had been so angry. So angry that he had to walk away before he did something stupid. The woman had no right to talk about anything his family had been through for the past twenty years. Beka and Rafe were his family. Emily was his family. His and Jenna's.

And apparently, someone else's too.

Ignatius's hands tightened harshly around the piloting grips, and he ground his teeth.

He hadn't seen it coming. His run-in with Tyr had been…unusual to say the least. He didn't even know how they'd gotten onto the topic of the Drago-Kazov.

" _Please, I am Kodiak." Tyr scoffed. "I have more reason to hate the Drago-Kazov more than anyone. They didn't kill your family, you got a new addition."_

 _Ignatius started in irritation. There was a reason he hated Nietzscheans, aside from Emily's birth, they never knew when to shut their mouths._

" _And do I have a story for you. Or perhaps, you should ask your daughter what she's been hiding from you for the past decade."_

It had raised his hackles that some… _Uber_ thought he knew more about Ignatius's own daughter than he knew himself. Just thinking about that left a bad taste in his mouth and a churning feeling in his gut.

He'd felt it. Before he'd seen it, he'd felt it. That the two Nietzscheans aboard Hunt's ship didn't get along, felt the tension and rivalry churning between them; the way Tyr always looked calculating, pondering, as though he was figuring something out. Emily and Beka were both a giant chink in Ignatius's armour, and anyone could see it. Where Tyr had been going with comment, or why he'd taken an interest in the Valentine family Ignatius had no idea.

When they made it to Oedekirk, it had all came to a head. Nietzschean blockades, ships, soldiers, _Drago-Kazov._ Why was he even there? Why the hell had Beka even gotten involved with Hunt? How could she run around like this, live like this; dragging Emily into danger? And all the while dealing with two feuding Nietzscheans aboard her own crew?

Tyr was a bastard. But the other one…

Telemachus Nez Pierce. Emily _liked_ him. The way she had talked about him, a mile a minute, bright and open. It was like a punch in the gut. No matter how hard he tried, it seemed like the universe would never let his family get away from Nietzscheans.

Ignatius's head throbbed. The slip route Beka was taking them through was insanity. He'd just barely caught up with her in time as she was leaving Oedekirk. Hunt's First Officer booking it off-planet during a conflict negotiation? He didn't know what Old High Guard protocol was, but he was sure something strange was going on. Beka had been edgy since he arrived, but when they were leaving she had looked equal parts relieved and worried.

It had something to do with that Nietzschean. He knew it. The single-minded determination and…conflict? That he had seen on Nez Pierce's face was not a look one saw on his kind.

They were leaving the planet. And damn all the stars, Ignatius wasn't just going to let her and Emily go off alone with a Nietzschean.

The slipstream plunged, and pulled, shifted, twisted, and cascaded all around him as they searched through this strange route for the portal.

Ignatius had never heard of a planet called Tarazed. And why it was so important they rush off there immediately…he had no idea.

* * *


	13. Home Fires

" _Wherever a man may happen to turn, whatever a man may undertake, he will always end up by_ _returning_ _to that path which nature has marked out for him._ _"  
-Goethe, Ancient Earth writer_

* * *

Telemachus sat at his console staring ahead as Beka piloted the _Maru_ through slipstream. The route was distorted and degraded, difficult to navigate; but as the endless blue that surrounded them went on forever he knew Beka would see them through. She was talented, for a human. It never failed to surprise him. _She_ never failed to surprise him. It was a strange thing, his life, where he found himself; so far off from what his mother wanted for him, what his Pride sought from him. He left it all behind, with surprisingly little regret.

How could leaving his Pride feel right? He had pushed these feelings, these pangs of displacement, the confusion to the back of his mind. But now…now they all came back stronger than ever and he might finally be on the path to finding an answer that he had been unknowingly seeking his entire life.

Harper said he wasn't like the rest of the Drago-Kazov. Rev Bem called him odd. Tyr called him defective.

Was he? He cared more for Emily and Beka than he ever thought possible.

Emily was blood. A half-breed, but blood. Blood mattered to Nietzscheans, at least he thought it did. His own family though…it didn't seem to mean much.

Growing up, Telemachus was closest to his adoptive mother, she doted on him, pushed him to succeed; his relationship with Beka and Emily strained the bond he had with her. He knew she was disappointed in him, he knew his decision hurt her, but his mother had also given him her reluctant and put-upon blessing.

Thor Nez Pierce on the other hand…

There had never been much of a relationship between him and his father or other siblings, they regarded him with a curiosity he didn't understand and held him at a distance. There was no bond; he once longed for it but learned to do without. It had never seemed…natural.

The day Thor died, Telemachus could have cared less, father or not.

Was he really so different? Was he as different to his Pride as Rev was to the Magog?

Questions.

Questions were all Telemachus ever had. Ever since he was a child. Why the Pride did this, why the Pride did that. There was just something _off_. Something burrowing itself in the back of his mind, shoved down so deep because he didn't want to think about it. Didn't want to be different.

Cuchulain had risen straight to the top ranks of the Pride through the violence and fear they were known for. And as much as Telemachus never wanted to admit it, when he was still within the Drago-Kazov's ranks, he didn't see eye to eye with the others on a lot of things.

And he'd tried. Tried so hard to be like them. Even liked it at times.

He'd beaten kludges, intimidated and used them. But never so much when he was in control of himself. The only times he had let himself go, to "act like a real Drago-Kazov" as Cyrus had always put it, was when he was angry or frustrated. The last real time had been on Oberon IV, when Beka had been all he thought about and couldn't shake.

So much had changed in two years. _He_ had changed. Telemachus couldn't even pinpoint when it happened; when the strange mixture of species he associated with aboard the _Maru_ had become more family to him than his Pride had ever been.

He didn't know why.

Until Oedekirk. When his questions finally found an answering response in Kessek, General of Oedekirk's military, with a memory much too sharp for a human his age.

What that man had said to him had brought back all the questions Telemachus had been burying for years. He couldn't ignore them anymore. Not now, not with an honest to Divine lead on how Gaheris Rhade's bloodline got into the Drago-Kazov.

Dylan and Andromeda had given him more insight into his ancestor than he'd ever thought he would get. He had first-hand accounts, Gaheris' own mission reports and journals.

And nothing made sense. The more Kessek told him about Tarazed and Telemachus' strong resemblance to Lucius Rhade, the more his suspicions deepened.

Lucius Rhade. How could Telemachus have relatives he'd never heard of before?

He needed to find that planet.

Upon contacting the Drago-Kazov above Oedekirk, Telemachus shouldn't have been surprised that Cyrus was part of the attacking fleet, he'd sent the message about the planet's attack after all. But he couldn't have cared less, he needed information and Cyrus was always more than willing to help an old friend.

He needed coordinates, and odds were if this planet had disappeared as fast as Kessek said it did, chances were they had run into his Pride. No one was better at making planets disappear than the Drago-Kazov. There were no Tarazeds listed in the database, but he found three possible routes to three unnamed planets.

Upon returning from the scout mission on the _Maru_ , he delivered what he'd seen and then took off.

With the speed at which he left the _Andromeda_ , Dylan Hunt's head was probably still spinning. Not only did he take off in the middle of a negotiation with his own Pride but he had taken his family and two ships with him. He hoped Dylan didn't do anything stupid in the time they were gone. Maybe not the best time to run off, but he had never been a patient man. Telemachus didn't give a shit about Oedekirk, he'd seen planets fall before and that dirthole wouldn't be the last.

If Dylan wasn't careful it would end in bloodshed, even if he was there it wouldn't make a difference. Cyrus told him they weren't planning on stopping, so it was probably for the best he took off and Beka decided to come with him. It would get her and Emily out of harm's way at any rate if it came to that.

While she exited slipstream he took a glance at the back of her head.

He and Beka had barely spoken since they left. She kept trying to engage him but all he could offer was a grunt. He knew it was annoying her, but he just couldn't talk about this.

The first planet they found had been a bust, nothing but chunks of rock left. The second one they just arrived at looked more promising.

"Well, at least this one's still here," said Beka, hitting some controls. "Dad and Emily just came out of slipstream behind us."

He grunted.

"Seriously. What is with you? What the hell did that guy say to you to make us come all the way out here like the universe was about to collapse?"

"I'll tell you when I know."

"Telemachus…"

"It's complicated."

"Look, I mean I appreciate you getting me away from Talia and all, but this is the middle of nowhere."

"Kessek said there were Rhades on this planet. If there were I would have known. It doesn't make any sense."

"Right. And right now _you're_ not making sense. I'm trying to be supportive here, but…"

"Just land."

"Telemachus."

"Land."

* * *

After talking her father down, the _Piper_ _Maru_ stayed up in orbit as Beka landed the _Eureka Maru_ on the surface of the planet. While they searched for a place to land and the largest population scans, what she could see was nothing but ruin.

The planet was devastated. The remains of large buildings scattered the landscape, debris littered every part of what was once, Beka surmised, a large city. Every so often, she would see half broken symbols of the High Guard. That surprised her. That the symbols of the Commonwealth that Andromeda proudly displayed, were ground into dust on a planet light years away. It looked like a lost relic of times gone by. If it wasn't impossible, she would swear she was looking at Tarn Vedra.

Something was happening with Telemachus; eventually she would get it out of him, but with him being a stubborn Nietzschean she would wait, even if it wasn't her strong point. She had learned patience over the years, as much as she could any way. Emily was sometimes just as stubborn as her father.

Until Telemachus explained, she would stay with him and wait.

* * *

"Why can't we go down there, Grandpa?" Emily tapped on the metal railing above his pilot chair.

Ignatius sighed. "You heard your mother."

He sighed again and leaned back, staring out the view screen at the planet in front of them. "If you want to help, go get Grandpa something for his headache."

He heard Emily reply and leave the control room. Now that he had some relative peace away from the sudden insanity he was thrown into, and the promise of some pain relief, he could relax for just a few minutes and put things into perspective.

The slip jumps had been intense, and thankfully the Nietzschean hadn't led them into some sort of trap or worse. He had followed his daughter blindly, and hoped to hell she knew what she was doing.

In all honesty though, he was damn happy to be away from the _Andromeda_. Hunt's mission wasn't his mission, and if they got themselves killed he'd only feel the guilt for not forcing Trance and Harper to come with them.

" _It'll be okay."_ Trance had told him before he went running after Beka.

 _It'll be okay._

For the star's sake he hoped so. He'd barely made it to the docking bay to tell Beka she'd better not think of leaving without him. Emily was on board with that plan before Beka could get a word out and insisted on going with him, she'd been confused about the sudden take-off as well, he had come to find out.

What surprised him was that the Nietzschean seemed fine with him tagging along. What he didn't like was the "if we run into trouble" that followed his support. He didn't want to run into trouble, he was finished with trouble, and he hoped Beka would be too. After this, they were going to have a very long talk. If she would just pack up her crew, leave Hunt and his mission and come back with him to Infinity, he would have some peace of mind. Hunt seemed like a decent man but after hearing about the Dragan fleet above Oedekirk and Hunt's confidence in a _peace talk_ with them, he could only conclude the man was insane. It was pure insanity to think one man and one ship could talk with the Drago-Kazov Pride. Hunt hadn't been witness to one of their purges, Ignatius had.

A little more than ten years ago, his entire world shifted on its axis. And damn it all if he didn't hate himself just a little. Sometimes it seemed like he took it harder than Beka, but that had to be his imagination. He couldn't imagine what she went through, and it made him sick that it took something that drastic to change him. To clean him up. To make him a better father.

He hated himself for that, and had been making up for his failures ever since.

Damn it all he needed to talk to Beka. About everything. About Hunt, his mission, Telemachus…and Tyr. He had to talk to her about the things Tyr said, about her hiding things from him.

Damn it all. Ignatius pressed a hand to his head that felt like it was ready to split in two.

* * *

The world was desolate. Crumbling around itself. The small population they had come upon ran out of sight when they were spotted. So far they'd only seen Than.

There was a lot of fear here. Some of the scorch marks on the buildings looked fresh. Telemachus raised an eyebrow. If his people did this, why would they keep coming back?

Cyrus couldn't give him much information. Two of the planets had been destroyed five to fifteen years prior; but this one: PCX-XIV, records indicated a purge close to thirty or so years ago.

The nagging in Telemachus' gut intensified full force. He barely noticed Beka trying to keep stride with him. Every part of the ruined city looked the same. Broken glass, bended steel frames, and broken, shattered concrete. Small green patches here and there were the only things that broke up the monochrome. Tiny vegetable patches, maybe.

"The ship's sensors were picking up more life signs a bit further up," said Beka. "Telemachus. What are we looking for?"

"Answers."

"To what?" The life signs would be the third set they checked out since arriving.

Telemachus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. As much as he felt like continuing without talking, he knew he had been too silent. Beka had put up with it, just like he put up with her flightiness when her parents were converging on her all at once. She stayed with him through all of this. Talked him into letting her come. The look on her face now said more than her questions: she was worried about him. And given how he had been acting, she had every right to be. Looking back, none of his actions could be called completely rational.

"Do you remember Oedekirk's General?"

"Old and balding?"

His mouth quirked. "Yeah."

"He sent you running here to the middle of nowhere?"

"It's not the middle of nowhere," he said. "Kessek told me I looked like someone he used to know. Lucius Rhade, sound familiar?"

Beka nodded. "Rhade. That was your ancestor's name."

"Exactly. Nietzscheans pride themselves on their geneology. Why would I not know about this? Any of this? Something isn't right. I've felt it my whole life."

And there it was. Beka was surprised he admitted it. There was always something different about Telemachus, his actions always setting him apart from the rest of the Dragans and the more time she spent with him the more obvious it became.

But to hear him say it…

Telemachus rarely talked about his Pride or his past, all of his time seemed to be spent fully in the moment and firmly in the present. They were both alike that way. Beka didn't like talking about the past either.

"It's always felt like…" he stopped.

"What?"

"Come on, we're not getting anywhere." Telemachus turned and continued up the embankment. Beka shook her head and followed him. They were looking for 'something'. And gee did that ever narrow it down.

Cresting the hill they looked down and finally saw what was causing the life sign readings.

Tents and make-shift homes lined the area. He couldn't tell who was human and who was Nietzschean, but there were homo sapiens down there nonetheless. He'd seen hovels like this before on Drago-Kazov razed worlds. Tarazed was a slaved planet. For workers, food, or minerals he couldn't be completely sure but with the lack of information on the planet it was probably almost stripped of the resources it had once produced. The High Guard symbols gave him an idea of what it had supplied though.

The closer they walked, people ran out of sight. He didn't see any more Than, and he supposed those who hid were human. Others regarded them with suspicion and watched them as they walked. Telemachus could see boneblades on one of the males watching them warily.

While they walked through the encampment and to the edge of the tents, a thought pushed its way into Beka's mind, about another planet that seemed a lifetime ago.

 _Is this what Avilan looks like now?_

Beka shuddered. That day had been a nightmare, something straight out of Hell. It hardly seemed possible that the Nietzschean striding in front of her had been the one good thing to come out of it all. Not so much for the people of Avilan though… Early in her relationship with Telemachus it had been one thing she had to square with herself. He was Drago-Kazov. He had taken part in planet raids more than once. But at the same time it was hard to reconcile it with the man who (while a bit of an ass) had not hurt her, had helped her, seemed…dedicated to her and Emily, and she couldn't deny that he was a good father.

They were almost approaching two years together, and honestly it was the longest relationship with a man she'd ever had. They'd come a long way.

Telemachus had changed. She'd changed. Somewhere along the way he wasn't the same man who invited himself onto her ship and into her life claiming to be bored. He wasn't as presumptive. She wasn't as indifferent. It took a while, but deep down Beka knew she trusted him. She just hoped that trust wasn't misplaced.

Beka stepped over a pile of crumbled rock.

Avilan, Earth, Tarazed, countless others, all once beautiful planets. All destroyed by the Drago-Kazov.

Ahead of them a young woman stood watching them as she finished hanging a wet shirt onto a line. Her face was guarded and watched them with increasing hostility at their approach. An old woman sat close to her mending a shirt.

"You. Old woman," Telemachus barked.

Beka could have rolled her eyes. Her lover always had a way with people. She knew he was on some sort of personal mission, but she hoped he knew the attention he'd just drawn from the others in the camp. The ones staring at them now and exiting the tents were Nietzschean. Slave world or not, Nietzscheans didn't cower. Neither did the female by the old woman's side. Her boneblades flexed threateningly as she put herself between them and her elder.

"Leave her be. She's too old."

"You're too young for my questions," snapped Telemachus.

"Try me."

"I doubt you were even born."

The old woman scoffed and tried to stand.

"Lucréce, please…"

"Stand down, Jillian," she stated, peering at them.

Jillian's eyes moved between her and the new arrivals, narrowing. The blonde female was human but didn't look like a slave which surprised her since the male spoke to Lucréce with the same disrespect the Drago-Kazov did when Tarazed was "graced" by their presence.

"State your business and leave us be," she demanded.

Telemachus scowled. "Was I ever talking to you?"

"Telemachus," snapped Beka.

"Telemachus?" repeated the old woman. "Boy, come closer," she demanded waving him over and ignoring Jillian's alarmed response.

Stepping closer warily he jerked in surprise as Lucréce grabbed his shirt to pull his face down to her eye level. His eyes narrowed as she scrutinized him. Her hands turning his face and reaching up to pull his hair from his face.

The look that came to her eyes was not something he expected on this planet, but deep down he knew this was what he had come seeking.

"I almost didn't recognize you."

He swallowed at her statement. He'd never been to this planet before, but he could feel a chill forming in his chest.

"You have one of the most recognizable faces on Tarazed, Telemachus Rhade. You look just like your ancestor."

Everything he'd hoped never to hear kept coming, he'd hoped he'd been wrong. The coldness inside of him spread until he felt numb with every word from the aged Nietzschean woman.

" _You've finally come home."_

He barely heard the rest, barely remembered following them through the wrecked city to a large house that once stood in magnificence; the front of it had been completely ripped away, the left side of the house was completely collapsed. Tall vines and wild grass rose along the staircase visible from where they stood.

"… _home of Lucius and Octavia Rhade. Six children…"_

Through the house, destroyed and decaying, up the stairs. Dust and vines covered most of the area. The roof was partially caved in when they got to the first landing, a broken bookshelf barely visible.

"… _found your mother here…"_

All these years…

"… _neck was broken…"_

All his life.

"… _the female who took you…never knew…"_

His identity.

"… _kept children of other Prides…"_

His past.

"… _your sister hiding…saw her take you…"_

A lie.

"… _died four years ago."_

He stopped listening. Heading up the second flight of stairs, he walked numbly into a child's room. Decades of dust covered the remaining surfaces. The particles kicked up by his feet irritated his nose but he took no notice. Telemachus' eyes rested on the dresser, at the pictures lining the top. Wiping the glass he found himself staring at complete strangers but the resemblance one of the young girls had to Emily was damning. The resemblance they had to him even more so.

Dark hair, dark eyes, tanned skin. The complete opposite of the fair skinned blondes that made up the majority of the Nez Pierce clan.

"Telemachus."

He turned slowly to find Beka standing near a crib wiping off something small and soft-looking in her hand.

Taking it from her, he found it was a small pillow with embroidered stitch.

"Telemachus Rhade," he read quietly. "Son of Octavia, son of Lucius. Out of Majorum by Rhade."

His fist and jaw clenched.

* * *

Two hundred metres from the house they found the passage to the family catacombs. A fallen arch laid on the steps leading into the tunnels. He could make out broken symbols of the High Guard and emblems of the Old Commonwealth as he descended. He barely noticed Beka lighting a torch from the wall and following him with the light and Lucréce in tow.

When they reached the end of the tunnel, it broke sharply to the right. The centre drew his attention.

There stood Gaheris Rhade's empty plot. Behind it, his wife Calliope. The female who started the Tarazed Rhade line. The tomb of their first son, and his son, his daughter…

Telemchus moved down the line.

Son, son, daughter, daughter, son, daughter, son, son, son, son, daughter, daughter, son…

It continued for generations.

An unbroken line of Rhades.

Three hundred years of history.

Three hundred years of family.

Telemachus stopped at the final tomb.

 _Octavia Rhade_. His mother. Genetic proof less than three feet away. Proof of everything.

His family.

His past.

Majorum.

 _Every last one of them._

* * *


	14. Shattered Glass

_“Illusions are certainly expensive amusements, but the destruction of illusions is even more expensive.”-Friedrich Nietzsche_

|||

Beka ran.

Panting hard she ignored the sharpness burning in her lungs, ignored the pain in her tired legs. She had to get back to the _Maru_ before Telemachus did something completely and utterly stupid.

 _God-damned Nietzscheans_. They were twice as fast as a human on a _normal_ day, but today? Damn it straight to the seven hells Telemachus was _fast_. She’d seen him move before but this? This was insanity. Twice as fast on a normal day, but on a day where he was _pissed?_

Scratch that. He wasn’t pissed. He wasn’t even mad.

He was _enraged_. And it was an emotion to such an extreme that she had never seen from him before. She’s seem him pissed with Tyr, she’s seen his cold anger with Gerentex, she thought she’d seen the spectrum, but this? The tension that had crept up his spine as he stood in front of his mother’s – _his real mother’s_ \- monument, the tightness of his clenched fists.

The scream of rage that had erupted from him.

The look of pure fury as he’d turned around.

Her feet pounded hard on the pavement, leaping over chunks of missing road and fallen debris. Beka could barely fathom what had happened. Something she never could have expected or anticipated.

Telemachus was not a Dragan.

The blood of the Drago-Kazov did not flow through his veins.

It didn’t flow through Emily’s.

The breeding for aggression, attitude, and a multitude of other highly unpleasant things were just not in Telemachus.

His entire relationship with her finally made sense.

His acceptance of Emily.

His tolerance for Harper and Rev.

His reluctant cooperation with Tyr.

His deference to Dylan _and_ herself as Captains of their respective ships.  
Some parts of his attitude were definitely the upbringing, but at his core, what made him the Nietzschean he was, and why it confused him so much. _That_ was his nature. _That_ was the result of three hundred years of selective Majorum Pride breeding.

He was Majorum.

He was born on this destroyed, devastated planet.

Beka skidded to a halt and held onto a crumbling wall as the _Maru_ came into view. Gasping harshly she took in much needed air. She was maybe only a few minutes behind him and could only guess what he was about to do. He was angry, he wasn’t thinking straight as everything he knew fell apart around him. It was making him reckless.

Her head and heart pounded as she heard the grinding of the _Maru’s_ cargo release mechanisms.

“Damn it, Telemachus.”

She started running again and could only watch as a Nietzschean slipfighter took off from the Maru and into the sky.

 _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

Ignoring the pain, Beka found herself on her ship racing through the corridor to the flight deck. Dropping into her chair breathlessly she opened a channel.

“Telema…chu…Tel! Where are you… _going_?!” she huffed wincing at a cramp in her side.

No response.

Taking a deep breath. “Telemachus!”

Why was his name _so damn long?_

“I swear I will… _huff_ …kill you when you…get…back…” _If he comes back. Would he come back? Was he…gods dammit was he abandoning her? Where the hell…what the hell was she going to tell-_

“ _Beka_.” The comm. line came to life. Throwing her head back against the chair she ignored the headache. Son of a bitch actually answered.

“Where are you going?”

“ _Enga’s Redoubt._ ” His voice was short, clipped.

“Telemachus. Please, just wait,” she tried. “Calm down first.”

She heard him laugh. Humourless. Bitter.

“ _I_ have _to go_.”

“But-“

“ _I’ll be back. I promise._ ”

“And where the hell am I supposed to find you?”

She wasn’t going to stick around Tarazed, and the _Andromeda_ was still orbiting Oedekirk. Beka winced as guilt started gnawing at her. She’d left Trance, Harper, and Rev there. In the middle of a negotiation crisis with the Drago-Kazov. If the Dragans hadn’t blown them straight to hell she was going to have some major apologizing to do. But hey, she supposed this squared her with Dylan. If he let this go, she might forgive him for blindly listening to Rafe.

Hell, could she even really go back to the _Andromeda_ now? Telemachus was the only thing that kept the Dragans from firing on them, the only thing that let them get planet-side on Oedekirk, to even have them remotely willing to listen to Dylan. Telemachus may not have been born into the Pride, but despite how he got there and the circumstances of his “adoption”, he still had some friends in high places. The Nez Pierce family was one of the most respected families in the Pride. Telemachus’s brother was Fleet Marshall for Divine’s sake.

And just what the hell was Telemachus planning to do on Enga’s Redoubt?

Could she risk her father and Emily…

Beka’s heart leapt into her chest.

Her dad was still up there in orbit.

“Telemachus?”

She pounded the controls in anger, the bastard had disconnected before hitting the atmosphere.

 _Dammit, dammit, dammit. Dad’s waiting up there._

A Nietzschean fighter with Drago-Kazov markings and signature was heading his way.

Her father would _shoot it down._

It was the fastest she’d ever opened a comm. channel in her life.

|||

Tapping his finger against the flexi screen a square popped up to block Emily’s circle. Beka and the Nietzschean had been on the surface for a while and there was only so many times he could watch a blank screen. There was also only so much time Emily could watch him watch a blank screen. The _Piper Maru_ had a well built system that would detect any ships in the area, any slipstream events. He’d wanted it as defensively and offensively capable as possible when he built it. The weapons system he upgraded before leaving Infinity for the _Andromeda_. The universe was a dangerous place, he knew that better than anyone. Space, planets, nowhere was completely safe. It paid to be prepared.

Emily placed a circle near the top of the flexi’s board.

“Got you grandpa.”

Ignatius snorted as he pondered his next move. A glance at the board told him that she was right. Even if he blocked one of her attempts, she had two other circles in a row and her next move would put three in either space. It both amazed and concerned him that she could win any strategy game nine out of ten times. He loved her to pieces but the things about her that were so Nietzschean…it kicked him in the gut. It really did.

As he finally made his decision, he was cut off when the _Piper’s_ klaxons began to blare a proximity alert. His stomach sank as he pushed himself from his chair and all but ran to the flight deck, Emily’s footsteps echoed through the corridor behind him. There was no way it was the _Eureka Maru,_ he’d built in a different alarm for it entirely. What worried him was that Nez Pierce said they might run into trouble.

Sliding into the control chair he slid it forward and engaged it. Emily sat at the console behind him ready to do what was necessary. _Far too mature for her age…_

“What is it?” she asked.

Tapping the control the view screen lit up a projection. A small object was coming up fast from the surface, almost straight their way. Tapping a few more controls, he tried to narrow it down with the long range sensors. Making an adjustment he finally had it.

It was a slipfighter so what was –

The rest of the information came up. It was Nietzschean design. But that’s not what had Ignatius reaching for weapons control.

There were markings.

Drago-Kazov.

He though he heard the comm. beeping but steadily ignored it. In the background he heard clicking.

“Mom?”

“ _DAD? Dad! Are you there? Emily, where’s your grandfather?_ ”

“He’s here, he can hear you.”

“Beka? Beka, now’s not the time.”

“ _Let it go! The slipfighter! Let. It. Go. Do not fire. I repeat DO NOT FIRE!_ ”

Ignatius stared at the speakers his daughter’s voice was coming from incredulously. His hand gripped the firing control.

“It’s a Dragan! WHY THE HELL NOT?”

“Grandpa, no!” His hand was ripped away from the control as Emily deposited herself in his lap, keeping his hands from any of the Piper’s controls. Had this whole family gone insane?

“ _Dammit dad, it’s Telemachus! It’s Telemachus. Please don’t fire._ ”

“Where’s he going?” demanded Emily. “Mom, where’s he going?”

Ignatius heard noise. It was all her heard. Muffled, mumbled, distant. He realized it must be his daughter and granddaughter, but he had no idea what they were saying to each other. He just sat there. Staring at the speaker. Staring at the view screen. Watched as the slipfighter disappeared into slipstream.

Where did…where did the slipfighter come from? Could…it could have just been on the planet couldn’t it? It…wasn’t like- Nez Pierce wasn’t a Dragan. He… There… Where did…

“Beka… What the _hell_ is going on here?”

|||

Enga’s Redoubt.

His home.

His refuge.

The planet he assumed he was born on.

The planet that was _nothing_ to him anymore.

A planet of lies, of deceit.

 _Did they all know?_

His mind had been working ever since he left Tarazed. Organizing and slotting every memory, reshaping, clarifying, _analyzing_. He saw things from so many different points of view now. Different angles, different meanings, different _everything_. It was an understanding about an entire life spent living on the outside, always a part of but never quite belonging, never quite fitting in.  
Stalking through the corridors he ignored everything and everyone around him. Greetings were met with hostile silence and eventually the others just started staying out of his way. If his body language didn’t give away his simmering anger, his facial expression would have.

The pure fury that had burned through him on his birth planet had long since turned a wrathful cold. But his body felt like it was still being pulled into both extremes. One minute he was simmering and the next a stray thought would start his blood boiling.

He couldn’t believe her. Couldn’t believe them. The Matriarch, his “father”, the co-wives, they all had to have known what he was. A lost child stolen from another Pride. How dare this be kept from him! His heritage was his right as a Nietzschean! And they completely rewrote it. Rewrote his ancestors, his history, his kin, his genealogy, his lineage! Everything!

Reaching the end of the hall he considered blasting the control mechanisms to open it, but in the end slammed his fist through it. He barely felt the pain as sharp, broken fragments dug through his skin. It was nothing to the emotional upheaval that crashed into him on Tarazed. The doors slid open and he stalked inside. Kallianax barely had time to look up from her flexi before he rounded on her.

“Was it you?”

“Was what me?”

“Who killed my mother!” he snarled.

He watched her jaw clench and her eyes narrow. She dropped the flexi to the floor forgotten and stood to face him.

“I _am_ your mother.” She stated coldly, blades twitching in irritation.  
Telemachus would have none of it.

“Octavia Rhade of Majorum Pride was my mother. You murdered her when the Drago-Kazov invaded and destroyed Tarazed. I’ve seen what’s left.”

“Telemachus-“

“What about all your speeches about family? _About loyalty_?” He demanded. “I had that! I would have had _all of that_ and you took it from me! My family, my history, my pride, my _blood_. Emily is the _only_ true bloodline I have! Genealogy is the most important thing there is to a Nietzschean and mine? ALL A LIE!”

“I gave you a LIFE!” Kallianax yelled angrily. “I gave you _everything_. Prestige, stature, standing, opportunity! _I gave you the galaxy!_ What was there for you on that wasted mudball planet? Death? Slavery? An empty, mundane existence where you would be completely incapable of achieving class, rank, or promotion, _that_ was what waited for you. A life of hunger, filth, and squalor. That’s what you would have preferred?”

Her eyes burned into his. “I gave you all I could. I didn’t have to do anything. It’s that girl and that ship, isn’t it? They’re turning you against your Pride!  
“YOUR pride. It was never mine. There isn’t one ounce of Drago-Kazov blood within me. My entire line was Majorum. Thor was never my father, there was no dead wife, all lies.”

“I could have told you I bore you.”

“And I know why you didn’t. Your rivals never would have stood for it. I don’t even know why the Matriarch covered this up for you!”

“You know why!” she snarled. “You are the first confirmation we had of a genetic reincarnation. You had great genes, and set our hopes soaring. You are the proof of Drago Museveni’s eventual return. Telemachus, you could have been happy. Married. But what did you do? You threw it all away on a Kludge! A kludge that mistakenly bore you a child while you shunned every available female in Drago-Kazov Pride!”

“Obviously with good reason! And now I’ve come to realize that what the rest of the universe says about this Pride is true.” He glared. “Know this Kallianax. Beka and Emily are the best things that have ever happened to me. I see it clearly now. They’re the only things that have ever made sense in this enigma I called a life.”  
“The Pride accepted you.”

“I was always an outsider.”

“Would you listen to me?!”

“Why?! That’s what I want to know, WHY? Why did you do it?”

“I didn’t know!” she burst. Grabbing a vase off the cabinet Kallianax threw it violently against the wall, glass shattering across the floor. “She attacked me! We fought, she died. That’s it! It wasn’t until after the fact that I heard you crying. And instead of leaving you there to die I took you with me! Your fath- Thor spoiled me. Whatever I wanted I got, it made me a brat. That all changed after I started raising you. _I_ changed.”

“Not enough to tell me the truth! Why didn’t you just tell me I was adopted from a dead Pride from the beginning? As a child do you think I would have cared? That I would feel as betrayed as I do now? I would have had my lineage!”

“You would have questioned us at every turn! Worse than you already did!”

“Maybe the Drago-Kazov Pride _needs_ to be questioned! Look what you’ve all become!”

“You’re suddenly an expert?”

“Gaheris Rhade.”

“What about him?”

“I have his journals,” Telemachus stated. “He believed that we could be better than what we were. Warrior poets who would bring civilization and decency, living gods among the stars. The Nietzscheans he describes, the race we used to be before the Fall? Those Nietzscheans no longer exist.”

“Well they’ve been dead for three hundred years.”

“Don’t. Just don’t. You know I mean their philosophies and what they stood for. Our people rebelled against the Commnonwealth and look what happened to us.”  
“We were born to rule.”

“Not like this.”

“That’s your Kludge talking.”

“Her name is Beka,” he glared. “And I will kill any Nietzschean who touches her.”

It was a promise and a threat entwined in one sentence. He couldn’t find anything else to say. His anger hadn’t abated, he could still feel it pulsing, but he needed to leave. If he stayed any longer he might end up starting a blood feud with his former Pride. The woman in front of him he could barely stand to look at. The woman he once called mother, the woman whose approval, pride, and support he once always sought had become a casualty to his bitterness. He didn’t know if their relationship could ever be repaired, he didn’t even know if he wanted it to be.

Turning on his heel, Telemachus left without looking back.

|||

She had no idea how long she stood staring at the door her wayward son had left out of. No idea if she breathed or moved, but when she did finally come back to herself it was with a scream of rage. Picking up whatever she could find she hurled things across the room. Glass shattered creating piles of multicoloured shards, wood splintered leaving broken wreckage where it fell.

She was furious.

He was her son!

 _Hers!_

The only one she’d ever have!

Growling, she clenched her jaw and started to pace.

Telemachus would come back to her. To his Pride. She knew he would. He just needed time to calm down. To reflect. He’d realize that she was his mother, that she’d _always_ been his mother.

Breathing shallowly she looked at the open door. Her rooms were far from the main corridors, not many lingered here this early. There was a good chance they’d not been overheard.

 _He’d better hope we weren’t._

No one could know. No one could know that he knew the truth of his placement within the Pride, and if Telemachus knew what was good for him he’d keep his mouth shut and not do anything stupid in his haste.

He was her son. And if she could, she’d try to protect him from the fallout of his obvious lapse in judgement. His fall from grace would likely be hers as well.  
There had to be some way to spin this, a way to salvage it. Some way to keep the others from targeting her son. But if he defied them to their faces it would be over. There would be nothing she could do. He would be exiled, cast out, not that he would care. But he should care, particularly since the others might start making attempts on his life. And if not his own then his…his _family’s_. Just thinking about the kludge and her half-breed made her nauseous.

And then there was her own fate. Kallianax sat and buried her head in her hands. The Nez Pierce name would be disgraced. And she…

Kallianax lifted her head and glared at the wall. She would _not_ shoulder the whole blame for this. The Matriarch accepted it. The Pride accepted it. They could have told her ‘No’, they all had that chance. But one look at his genetic sample and they saw potential. Females saw a future husband for their daughters, and the Pride saw the chance at having Drago returned to them through Telemachus.  
Oh no. They were all to blame.

She would not go down for this alone.

|||

It had been almost a day.

An entire day of worrying about just what Telemachus was doing, worrying about what he may have already done, and if those things may have gotten him killed.  
 _I swear if he’s dead I’m going to kill him._

She had been relieved beyond belief that she’d gotten to her father in time. Even more relieved that Emily was with him, since he probably would have killed Telemachus anyway despite her pleas not to. Even better was that her father couldn’t interrogate her. Not with Emily right there with him. That girl was earning her keep every damn day.

She was also thankful that they had been on two different ships. Though she did feel bad leaving Emily with a peeved off grandfather, Em could handle it and she knew her father would never take anything out on her, and he would try and calm himself down for her benefit. It had hopefully kept him calm while they got back to the _Andromeda,_ which was _thankfully_ no longer orbiting Oedekirk. The peace talks had broken down like everyone but Dylan knew they would and the _Andromeda_ had been forced into a retreat. Everyone was fine which would have been good, except everyone included Talia as well.

But Beka would admit the woman did prove useful.

After Beka could no longer stall her father with waiting around Tarazed, and a message from Andromeda about the situation reached them, she’d been forced to make the rendezvous.

She’d been avoiding her father ever since.

The first thing that made it possible was giving a full and completely detailed report to Dylan, leaving nothing out. The longer she talked the longer she didn’t have to explain things to her father. She knew he was getting pissed off by her avoidance, and knew that realistically in the long run it would make the confrontation worse, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care.  
She needed to talk to Telemachus first. She had to know he was okay.

 _How the hell are you going to find us you idiot?_

After Dylan she made her way to Trance and Harper who were both good distractions for her father and in keeping Emily entertained. Beka knew that when this whole thing was over she was going to have to sit down and have some damn long quality time with her daughter.

Beka huffed and turned, making her way to the ladders she climbed down to a lower level. She was thankful that Andromeda’s corridors were so labyrinthine. Her father would get lost looking for her and if Andromeda had any sense at all, she wouldn’t help him track her movements.

That said, her father stalking her was the only thing that made her finally find a use for Talia. She was sorry she had to do it but really, he left her no choice. Her father could barely stand her biological mother, so Beka purposefully went to see her.

She sat through the snide comments, the complaints, and really Telemachus had _better damn well appreciate this._ She found out nothing new, nothing that would ever answer her questions about why Talia did what she did, just that the hatred for her father was mutually shared by both her parents.

By the gods she never wanted to end up like them.

When Ignatius finally did find her, he and Talia had once again got into a heated argument giving Beka the perfect chance to escape unnoticed by either party.  
She was becoming scarily good at escape and evade.

“Beka.”

She jumped as Holo-Rommie appeared in front of her.

“What?”

“I thought I would let you know that I’ve detected Telemachus’s slipfighter approaching the hangar.”

“Are you serious? Do _not_ tell Dylan yet, that idiot Nietzschean is mine!”  
As she started running through the corridors in order to reach him first, Beka went over her list of horrible-things-to-do-to-significant-others-when-they-leave-you-to-deal-with-curious-rampaging-fathers. She was on number forty-seven when she finally ran into him on his way down the hall towards her. And by the ever loving Divine was she happy to see him. The urge to wrap her arms around him and to scream in his sensitive ears to never leave again briefly crossed her mind but she bat it away before it could fully take hold. He looked a bit calmer, still rough around the edges but it was a look she could deal with.

Stopping directly in his path, she put her hands on her hips and glared at him.  
“Where have you been?” she demanded. “Do you have any idea what-“

“I had to think.” He walked around her.

Beka’s eyes narrowed. Oh no he _did not._

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I have to see Dylan.”

 _Oh for the love of-_

Running to get in front of him, she braced herself and pushed her hands against his chest to stop him.

“Oh I do not think so. I have not been _avoiding my father for over a day_ just so you can blow past me for Dylan. If you want to talk then you run whatever you’re planning to say to Dylan by me first.”

“Beka-”

“And before I forget this is yours.” She dug in her pocket and tossed him a small vial. “It’s …well, remains. The Tarazed Nietzscheans said you’d probably want to test it against your own DNA. Which you could have done in the first place had you not _flown completely off the handle.”_

“You’re not Nietzschean.”

“Shocker.”

“You don’t understand what they did.”

“Don’t understand what? That the Drago-Kazov destroyed the world you were born on, kidnapped you, then lied to you about everything to cover it up? Yeah, I kind of picked up on that believe it or not.”

“I meant what it means to be without your lineage. Genealogy-“

“Is one of the most important things to a Nietzschean. _I know this_. I know how angry you were, are, I was there. I could see it, hell I could taste it.”

“Rebeka…”

“Telemachus.”

He sighed and palmed open a door next to them leading them into an old crew cabin. They didn’t need to have this conversation in the middle of a corridor. He’d been thinking since he left Enga’s Redoubt. Thinking of some sort of vengeance that would satisfy what had been done, not only to him but to what was left of Majorum Pride and Tarazed. And he figured it out. It was a good plan, though Beka seemed less than pleased about it after he explained it.

“Are you insane?!” she hissed. “I mean, have you completely lost it in the last twenty-four hours?”

“It’s a good plan.”

“It’s insane!”

Beka gripped her hair tightly. She was at a loss for what else to say. There were some things that would have been nice to know about her lover’s “former” Pride. The fact that they had access to fifty-three High Guard Heavy Cruisers just like _Andromeda_? Would have been something to get a head’s up about. They had Commonwealth ships already thanks to, what they now knew was the invasion of Tarazed, but a system full of Heavy Cruisers?

“You didn’t think to mention this to Dylan before because…?”

“He didn’t need to know.”

She threw her hands in the air.

The Drago-Kazov were coming up with an AI eraser, they were still likely a few years from it but they were getting closer. Telemachus told her that Harper could get the AIs back online, have the _Andromeda_ free them, then Dylan could start rebuilding his New Commonwealth with a lot less worry.

“And who the hell would help us crew them if your _crazy as fuck_ plan works?”

“The Than. They have the second largest military in the Known Worlds, if Dylan can’t convince them then maybe the Than on Tarazed can.”

“You seriously want to make an enemy of the Drago-Kazov?”

“They were already my enemy.”

“Okay.” Beka held her hands out in a calming manner, her voice taking on the characteristics of someone trying to talk down a crazy person. “Trying to be the voice of reason here. I thought Nietzscheans were survivors?”

“And what does the non-voice of reason say?”

“That you being Majorum makes me feel better? Also the odds of my dad outright killing you might have decreased by a percent?”

He gave her an amused snort.

“But look, seriously though. Your Drago-Kazov connections have kept us all safe. Safe from slavery, from shoot downs, it’s kept Andromeda safe so far.”

“I’ll be an outcast soon anyway. And if I stayed with them I would have had to leave Andromeda eventually. If I stayed here, if I helped Oedekirk try and throw off their invasion they would see it as treason against the Pride. I’ve already gone against them by going AWOL, Kallianax has just been covering for my absences. I don’t think she will anymore.”

“You really want to do this? Rescue the ships in Tartarus, save Oedekirk, have their military command, make an alliance…betray the Drago-Kazov?”

“They killed my family.”

“And then they became your family.”

He growled. “This feels right.”

“You’re angry. I don’t want you to do something you might regret later. No matter how much I hate that particular Pride.”

“The Drago-Kazov have no right thinking they rule this galaxy,” he said. “And trust me they do. I’ve seen the way they handle people first hand. The slave worlds, the tribute worlds, other Prides. I’ve seen their brutality. And what I’ve lived with is not how we’re supposed to be. I’ve read Gaheris’s journals. We were a different race once. And without the Drago-Kazov I think we might be again.”

“If you go to him with this Telemachus, Dylan will likely do it. You have to be sure because once we go down that road there’s no coming back.”

She was right, he mused. There wouldn’t be. Most of him knew that, knew that he had a decision to make. Thought he’d already made it. Would leaving the Drago-Kazov cause more problems or less? He was doing this for himself, his Pride, and his planet. But he didn’t remember his birth parents. He had no memories of Tarazed. Only Kallianax.

But looking at Beka there was one thing he was certain of.

“You’re all I want.”

“Huh?” Beka’s eyebrows rose as she stared at him. He smirked at her and trailed a finger down the side of her face.

“You’re all I’ve ever wanted,” he said. “Since the day we met I couldn’t get you out of my head. Every world we conquered, every red head I saw… I had to check. Had to make sure it wasn’t you, half hoping it was. You and Emily are my family. Not her. Not them.”

His hands found her hips and he pulled her close.

“You’re in my blood. You were an eight year obsession for me. I couldn’t let you go. And if I went back to the Drago-Kazov I’d have to. It’d be treason if I married you.”

“M-married?”

“Someday, one day. It doesn’t have to be today, or next month but… But damn it Beka I want to call you my wife. You’re mine,” he growled.

Pressing his lips to hers was the best feeling he’d had in days. He could always lose himself in her. In her arms, in her scent, she was an addiction he never wanted to quit. He didn’t quite know how it happened, but she’d held him captive for a decade, most of which she was completely unaware of.

“Mmm, wait wait. One question. How’d you find us?”

“Tracking device on the _Maru_. I’m not losing you again.”

Beka rolled her eyes and kissed him again. She’d let it go for now. Because honestly? This was probably the most romantic situation she’d ever found herself in with a man. He sort of just proposed to her.

A _Nietzschean_ proposed to her. And hey, she just might be considering it. And she definitely needed where this was heading. Telemachus’s hands slid up her front, squeezing her breasts and kneading them before reaching for the zipper of her shirt and pulling it down. Sliding it off her shoulders, she took the opportunity to rid him of his tank top, yanking it over his head and throwing it blindly behind her.

Gun belts, boots, pants all hit the floor at some point and they found themselves on a long unused bed. Pushing Telemachus onto his back Beka straddled his hips. Her hands wandered over his broad, smooth chest. _By the Divine, does he have to be so perfectly sculpted?_ She wondered. Beka didn’t consider herself particularly vain, but when it came to men, the stronger the better. And Telemachus was the representation of everything she wanted. His shoulders, his chest, his back, his height, his, erm… _length_. All of it nothing short of amazing. And he wanted her. Somehow she had managed to snare a Nietzschean who made her a priority.

And she lo-

She-she _loved_ him.

“What is it?” he asked noticing her still.

Stars help her she really did.

“I-“ she smiled at him quickly before bending down to press their lips together. “I’ll tell you later.”

Her tongue found its way inside his mouth, running along the backs of his teeth. Oh and the way he kissed her, Divine she loved that too. Their kiss became quicker, more forceful. She bit back a moan as his fingers pressed between her legs. Spreading her moisture around he pressed hard on her nub making her hips buck. Before he could do anymore she reached between them and gave his hardness a few quick pulls before positioning herself and pressing down. She moaned into his mouth as he filled her. His echoing groan sent a shockwave straight to her core.

Telemachus slid his hands up Beka’s thighs and grasped her slim hips. Bracing his feet on the bed he thrust up inside her, encouraging her to move if she wanted the chance to ride him. If she didn’t he would end up throwing her onto her back without her realizing it. He threw his head back exposing his neck to her searching mouth as she rotated her hips. By the Progenitor he needed this. They both did. Being together like this with Beka was something he could hardly describe. The way she fit him, gripped him so tight, squeezing and taking him deep into her body. Who knew that he’d be ensnared so thoroughly be this lithe human woman?

Beka braced her hands on his chest and started thrusting faster against him. Rocking in time with his thrusts, the driving force behind his own hips. Her breasts bouncing with the motion.

Beka sighed. Heat laced through her stomach as she ground her clit against his pubic bone. A little more, a little more she could feel it building. She moaned as one of Telemachus’s arms pulled her tightly to his chest, her breasts crushed flat to his pectorals. Her nipples stiffened even further and the new stimulation. His right hand grabbed her ass and forced her harder against him. Both straining for that final release, hips pistoning faster, his cock sliding in and out of her with a speed she could never have imagined before him and finally, finally, she felt it. Felt herself go over that edge, cried out as her walls tightened around his hardness, her fluid coating him and making his glide easier.

Telemachus’s body locked, his hands clutched at her with bruising force as he spilled himself inside of Beka. She collapsed on top of him and lay their panting. Listing to his harsh breath somewhere above her head and loving the way his heart pounded in her ear.

She loved that she could do this to him.

She loved him.

And one day she’d actually tell him.

 _Probably when he marries me_. She grinned cheekily into his chest as his hand ran through her hair.

|||

“Beka?”

She groaned, “Really Andromeda?”

She’d been lying with Telemachus for a good half hour after their session and it had been the most non-stressful thing she had done in the past who knows how long. At times it felt like her family had been bombarding into her life without notice for _years_.

“I just thought you’d like to know that your father’s heading this way. My Main AI told him you were around here,” said Holo-Rommie. “And it’s time you stopped avoiding him.”

“I think you did mention something about that,” said Telemachus.  
Beka slapped him in the arm as she jumped up to get dressed and Holo-Rommie dispersed.

“Yes. I did, didn’t I? I’m avoiding talking to him about things I’ve been avoiding for a very long time. And now he’s curious, and suspicious, and probably quite pissed so I would stay out of sight until I tell you it’s safe in case he takes his anger out on you in the way of gauss gun bullets.”

“What did I do?”

Beka sighed. “He thinks you’re a Dragan which is one thing but…I’m going to tell him. About us. And the truth about what happened on Avilan. All of it. Even if he never speaks to me again like Rafe has apparently decided… He needs to know. It’s not fair to you or to Emily to keep this going on and I want you to know how sorry I am that I let him keep thinking that you-“

“Stop.” Telemachus sat up and gripped Beka’s hand which had been toying with her shirt’s zipper.

“I don’t blame you for not telling them. I don’t blame them for assuming. Given the Drago-Kazov’s reputation it’s what I would have thought had I been in their position. I understand, so don’t apologize to me again.”

“I don’t know how you can be-“

“You’re not supposed to. Humans think differently than Nietzscheans."

“I’m not even going to argue, since that’s what I’m about to be doing.”

“You don’t have to do this right now. You can wait.”

She smiled at him and ran her hand through his mussed hair.

“No I can’t.”

She also didn’t want to. The weight of it made her tired and it was finally time to face up to her mistakes.

|||

Beka stared straight at her father as he ranted about running all over the damn ship trying to find her. He was angry like she knew he’d be, but she expected it. As he went over everything he’d gone through looking for her Beka had to resist the urge to shut her eyes and bang the back of her head against the _Maru’s_ bulkhead.

“-and the fact that you’ve been on the _Andromeda_ with Nietzscheans and now I find out one was a _fucking Dragan_?!”

“He is _not_ Drago-Kazov dad! He’s Majorum!”

How many times would she have to explain that one to him? Her father was being difficult. Exactly like she thought he’d be.

“And he found that out when?” he demanded rhetorically. “ _Three seconds ago_?”

“It’s been more like a day,” she muttered.

“Don’t get cute. And why couldn’t you just have told me all of this before? Why the hell have you been avoiding me?”

“Because,” she started slowly. “I knew you would take it badly.”

“Take it badly? _Take it badly?_ Yes, I am taking it badly. I find out my daughter is serving aboard a ship full of Nietzscheans-“

“Only two.”

“And that one of them has spent his entire life thinking he belonged to Drago-Kazov Pride. Where the hell did Hunt find them? I mean, hell, the Kodiak I can understand he has no Pride left, but what the hell is a Dragan doing playing mercenary?”

“He’s not a mercenary.”

“Then why-“

“He came with me.” Beka winced. “Telemachus was…part of my crew before we…met…Dylan…”

Ignatius’s face went through many expressions and colours before settling between confusion and barely contained anger.

“You…why… _how could_ … You would put your crew at risk, your daughter?”

“He’s not dangerous!”

“Why do you keep defending him!?”

“Dad-“

“My God Beka, are you…are you _in love with him_?” he hissed.

Beka crossed her arms and stood her ground. “And if I am?”

The silence that followed deafened her, but she knew from experience that it wouldn’t last for long. She knew where all of this was heading, what he was about to bring up next, and she was finally ready to face up to everything.  
“After everything they did to you?!”

 _Right on cue, dad._

“You let a Nietzschean on board your crew after one raped-“

“I wasn’t raped!” she yelled over him. “It was before the attack! I was with him _before_ anything even started. I was upset because you were _high as fuck_ the night before!”

And it was out. _Finally_. She watched her father flinch, the guilt of his past Flash use becoming more present over the anger. She watched him go silent as he stared at her. _Now is as good a time as any to continue Valentine._

“I wanted to forget everything,” Beka started, “forget my fucked up life even for just _a single day._ I was _so alone_ back then. You and Rafe never noticed. But I did _everything_ for us back then. I found jobs, I found cargo. I started doing all of it when I was twelve and by the time I was sixteen Rafe didn’t even care anymore, he was barely helping me.”

 _The only thing he wanted was to leave and never look back. He didn’t care if you lived or died._ She thought. She’d never say it to him, because deep down she thought he already knew. She knew his relationship with Rafe was still shaky, but after her last visit with Rafe her relationship with him was probably now just as, if not more, shaky.

“I just wanted to forget how bad things were getting,” she continued, “how bad things were going to end. And then I met T…him.” She amended, she thought it might be better to tell her father the whole truth first before mentioning Telemachus and Emily’s relationship. “I didn’t know he was a Nietzschean. I didn’t know he was bored and just waiting for the attack to begin. We hooked up, and he made me forget everything wrong in my life.”

“…you were practically naked when I found you,” said Ignatius, grasping.

“It wasn’t Emily’s father. _And would you let me finish!_ ” she snapped as her father opened his mouth. “There was a girl being attacked, and I…I stupidly drew the Dragan’s attention. He tossed me around a bit, ripped my clothes, but then smelled someone else all over me. Thank the Divine for the Nietzscheans’ heightened sense of smell, huh? He threw me back at the same Nietzschean and to say I was shocked to see his bone blades would be an understatement.”

She laughed suddenly. “You know what the crazy part is? I wasn’t scared of him. I was more _angry_ with him than anything. And then I was confused. He stayed with me to keep me safe. He told me when the next patrols were coming and when to leave. He let me go, dad.”

“Beka.”

She could see he was trying to calm himself, and for that she appreciated it.

“When you found me and I realized what it looked like to you…I-I didn’t know what to do.”

“So…so you _lied_ to us? Do you have ANY IDEA-” he started, calm disappearing.

“You assumed!” she yelled back. “I don’t remember ever saying the words! I didn’t say _anything_. But I was going to! And do you know what _stopped_ me? _You did._ You and your _fucking_ Flash! You quit! You actually quit! _You came back to us_! And-and I thought you did it because of what you thought happened and if I told you the truth, told you what really happened, I thought you’d start up again! It was _killing you!_ And you…you finally _quit._ ”

Her eyes started to sting. “I was a kid. I was young and scared, and you and Rafe just wouldn’t _stop fighting_. Every time I tried to tell you both what happened you cut me off. You wouldn’t let me _say_ anything. So I gave up. Neither of you wanted to hear it so why keep trying? Neither of you would have believed me anyway.”

Ignatius sat down hard on one of the chairs behind him. Leaning over he hung his head in his hands and tried to make sense out of everything Beka had just told him.

After a few minutes of quiet she took a step forward.

“Dad?”

“You really…you weren’t hurt.”

She shook her head. “No.”

Ignatius looked up at her, tears on his face and she felt exactly like she did the night they found out about her pregnancy.

“The fact…” he started. “The fact that you didn’t think you could _tell me._ Was I- I made a lot of mistakes, Beka. _A lot_ of them. And I’ve tried to make up for them.”

“Dad, you have.” She tried as tears finally spilled over her eyes. She wiped them away quickly and took a breath.

“I haven’t. You couldn’t…you were too scared to tell me this. And I- I didn’t help. I…never let you speak up. I was too scared myself. Too scared what you’d say, I couldn’t even think about it. How does any parent? But I regret that. I regret…not being strong enough for you. I wish I could have been there, I wish I would have let you talked regardless of what it was about. I’m sorry Rocket.”

“Me too. But hey you’re still taking it better than Rafe did.”

“Rafe knows?”

“Oh yes. And he’s pissed. And convinced that I’m delusional and making things up.”  
Ignatius wiped his eyes and sighed. He heard Beka’s footsteps echo on the grating as she sat in a chair next to him.

“Your brother’s always been a bit…”

“Yeah.”

“But at least we can deal with him together now.”

She laughed. Ignatius paused in his thoughts and looked at his daughter.  
“And this…this ‘Majorum’ Nietzschean…Rocket, what the hell?”

“Ah…right. Telemachus…” She winced.

“Oh there’s more…” he groaned. “You have that look.”

Beka ducked her head. Why didn’t she have a better poker face around her family?  
“Okay umm…do you remember Bobby Jensen?”

“The guy I wanted to blow out an airlock?”

“That’s him.”

“What happened to him anyway? You were always vague.”

“He said some things to Emily, she cracked his ribs, and I tossed him out on his ass.”

His eyes widened. “She cracked his ribs?”

“Breast bone, probably. One punch.” She held up a single finger. “And then I found out that instead of my hold being filled with computers they actually weapons. Bobby lied to me about the cargo and we started getting fired on by Nietzscheans wanting their weapons back.”

“That son of a bitch stole Nietzschean weapons?”

“Drago-Kazov weapons. I couldn’t outrun them. Telemachus is a _very_ good pilot, just don’t tell him I said that.”

“That’s how you met him?”

She nodded. “We were taken aboard, I thought we were going to die, Telemachus walked in and offered to let us go if he came with us. I don’t know or care what he told the others.”

“Why would…Beka none of that makes sense.”

“Yeah this is the part that um…”

“Is this was what Tyr meant. About you hiding things from me?”

Beka scoffed in disgust and threw hands up in irritation. _Of course_ Tyr would. She was amazed he hadn’t just flat out told her father the truth then and there. But because he hadn’t _she_ was about to tell her father.

 _Like ripping off a bandaid. Tell him quick._

“Telemachus is Emily’s father.”

She cringed and waited.

“So he…what?” Ignatius just gaped at her.

“I told you he was different! Hell he’s more different now than he was back then though. He’s changed, dad. He’s changed so much, and he _loves_ Emily! He adores her. You haven’t seen them together.”

Ignatius let out a reflexive laugh. “So that’s why she talked about him so much. She just…lights up.”

“Yeah. She does.”

“He’s her fath…gods, Beka.”

“I know. I know and I am so sorry. To you, and Rafe, and Emily and _Telemachus_. God, he just shrugged it off like it was nothing when he found out what you guys thought he did to me. I just, I didn’t know what to do. And the fact that he could understand that. I don’t know how. Just that he’s the only man in my life who hasn’t disappointed me. Hasn’t left me, hasn’t abandoned me, hasn’t hurt me. For the love of the Divine he…he asked me to _marry him_.”

Ignatius’s look was incredulous.

“I know. Dad trust me, I know how… _out there_ that is. But he…even without his entire world shifting on its axis, I know, I don’t just think I _know_ that he would have stayed with us if the Drago-Kazov made him choose. He said he’d always felt different than them,” she said. “Would you believe Harper and Telemachus are friends?”

His stare was doubtful. Harper hated the Dragans more than any other being in the galaxy, and with good reason. To consider one a friend… If there were any more surprises Beka was going to throw at him tonight he just might have a heart attack.

“You’re not pregnant are you?” he tried.

“What? No!”

“Right. Sorry, just wanted to get that out of the way.”

She levelled a half-hearted glare at him.

“Telemachus has _always_ been different. He basically abandoned Drago-Kazov Pride the day he found me and Emily. There was always something about him that just didn’t add up. His relationships with Harper and Rev Bem for instance. How many Dragans, let alone Nietzscheans do you know who would get along with an Earthling and a Magog? Or respect Dylan’s authority? The only issue Telemachus has is with Tyr. Kodiak Pride and the Drago-Kazov have a bloody history. But I think more than anything Tyr just annoys him. It’s his Majorum breeding dad. No matter how the Dragan female who killed his birth mother raised him, Nietzscheans have always relied so heavily on their genetics. She couldn’t get rid of that. They kept him because he is a verified genetic reincarnation of one of his ancestors. The same ancestor who served with Dylan aboard Andromeda.”

“This family runs into coincidences far too often,” Ignatius muttered pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m…not okay. With any of this right now but I-I have a lot of thinking to do. A lot of thinking, and…I hope I’ll be able to figure all this out and understand it,” he said. “I’m not sure how I feel right now.”

“It’s sort of a lot to take in.”

“Tell me about it.”

“But as long as you’re still talking to me and not planning to kill Telemachus, I can give you all the time you need.”

“Jenna’s going to kick my ass about all of this,” he gave her a small half-smirk.

Beka smiled. “I’m counting on it.”

|||

It was probably a few hours after he’d talked to his daughter that she commed him about coming to the _Andromeda’s_ bridge. The ship herself was helpful in making sure he made it. Beka told him that Hunt had called a crew meeting, and even if he wasn’t technically crew, she wanted him there for whatever announcement was about to be made.

Standing on the bridge he stared at Nez Pier- well, _Rhade_ as he was calling himself now. Emily was sitting on the railing right next to him, and by the gods he could see it. The resemblance she had to her…father was strong. And it was likely why he’d never seen them side by side until now. It’s how Beka told him Rafe put the pieces together and she didn’t want him doing the same thing because she knew he’s react worse than Rafe had.

She would have been right.

When Rhade had finally started talking he couldn’t believe it at first. He still doesn’t know what to think after Rhade told the crew about his plan to rescue over fifty High Guard ships from some Dragan controlled system.

The new hatred he had for the Drago-Kazov, his former Pride, blazed in his eyes, every word spoken of them laced with such poison.

He didn’t know what to make of him.

Rhade was Emily’s father. A Majorum Pride Nietzschean. Ignatius was reeling as he looked between Rhade, Beka, and Emily. They were a family. After everything they had found each other again.

 _You’d better love them, Majorum. Or I promise you will deal with me._

|||

So that was it then. The answer to the enigma to Telemachus Nez Pierce, or wait…

 _“Rhade. My name is Telemachus Rhade.”_

Tyr had erroneously called the former Dragan by the last name he always called him and was treated to the surprise of him taking his ancestral name back. Hmm.  
Tyr would never like Rhade but with his new vendetta against the Drago-Kazov, they might actually now have something in common.

|||

Trance Gemini smiled secretly to herself as she watched her crewmates. Rhade’s plan was a good one, and it had good odds. But they would need a much larger military to be able to make it work entirely. The ships they were to rescue would need Captains and crews. And the Than-Thre-Kull were a good option. Dylan just needed to convince them to sign his Commonwealth Charter and help. It might be difficult though as the Drago-Kazov would likely view this as a sign of war. Rhade was essentially betraying them after all.

But if not the Than, then they might need to seek out other worlds. Other alliances. Whether they be Perseid or even the rival Nietzschean Prides to the Drago-Kazov. But to trust Nietzscheans with High Guard technology to rival _Andromeda?_

Future is cloudy, try again later.

The world around her continued to move, her Bonsai tree kept safely onboard the _Eureka Maru._ She would need to tend to it soon. Branches of reality were coming closer and she had to keep a watchful eye to move this reality forward. There was a perfect possible future somewhere, and she would keep searching for it time and time again.

She could feel danger coming as it always did but the Valentines would stand on a stable foundation and their faith in Dylan would grow as would their belief in his mission. The crew would come together, family would come together. And however worried everyone might be for Emily’s safety, Trance knew something they didn’t yet.

The girl was a warrior, strong and swift like her father, intelligent and worldly like her mother. She was going to be fine.

Trance glanced around.

Rhade was sure.

Emily was intrigued.

Beka was worried, yet hopeful.

Ignatius confused.

Tyr pondering.

Harper astounded.

Rommie looking to her Captain.

And Dylan…

|||

Dylan Hunt looked around at his crew. Their eyes glancing back and forth between him and Rhade. Rhade, it felt almost odd to be saying that name again. Go into the black hole with one on his ship, come out of the black hole with one on his ship. And now Telemachus was retaking Gaheris’s name. It was so hard to believe. They looked so alike, yet acted so different. The tale Beka and then Telemachus relayed to him mere hours ago had answered a lot of questions. He needed to talk to him more later though. To him, to Beka, maybe even to Ignatius.

The Drago-Kazov had High Guard ships. And the Nietzscheans figuring out how to erase the AIs and take control of them was not something he could risk. In the back of his mind, he hoped it wasn’t an elaborate trap. As hard as Gaheris’s betrayal was, he needed to learn to trust again eventually. Though the irony of Telemachus Rhade betraying the Drago-Kazov was not lost on him.

His mind was made up.

“Well then…” Dylan started, hope rising in his chest. “I say: Let’s bring it.”

|||

 _“The long night has come. The Systems Commonwealth, the greatest civilization in history, has fallen. Now one ship, one crew, have vowed to drive back the night and rekindle the light of civilization. On the starship Andromeda... hope lives again.” –Dylan Hunt_

THE END.

**Author's Note:**

> Beta's of select chapters:
> 
> Munibunny and SomeoneElse'sDream


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